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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25755220">Apex One-Shot Collection</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/NevaRYadL/pseuds/NevaRYadL'>NevaRYadL</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Apex Legends (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Flower Shop &amp; Tattoo Parlor, Awkward Flirting, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Marriage Proposal, One Shot Collection, Other, Shitposting Fics, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Temporary Amnesia, family au</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 04:27:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>62</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>43,094</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25755220</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/NevaRYadL/pseuds/NevaRYadL</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Collection of my Apex One-Shot Collections</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bloodhound/Fuse | Walter Fitzroy/Mirage | Elliott Witt, Bloodhound/Makoa Gibraltar, Bloodhound/Makoa Gibraltar/Mirage | Elliott Witt/Crypto | Park Tae Joon, Bloodhound/Mirage | Elliott Witt, Caustic | Alexander Nox/Fuse | Walter Fitzroy, Crypto | Park Tae Joon/Makoa Gibraltar, Lifeline/Wattson/Rampart, Loba Andrade/Bangalore | Anita Williams, Loba/Wraith/Bangalore, Pathfinder/Revenant (Apex Legends)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>428</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. No Pairings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>WARNING: awkward flirting, Pathfinder being himself and Rev being himself</p><p>One shot collection, starting with a shitpost, no I do not take requests</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Revenant sighed loudly.</p><p>On a duo team... with Pathfinder. Normally he tolerated that chatty bot if they were on a three person team because at least then, that third person would stand with Revenant in snapping at Pathfinder to quit his idle chatter. But alone? Something almost like social graces reminded him that it was unkind to just snap at Pathfinder for no reason, and he <i>almost</i> felt bad for it when he did. Not to mention, Pathfinder polled well with viewers. People being 'mean' to Pathfinder did not poll well and Revenant usually got the closest thing to disciplinary action that they were brave enough to give him... more time with Pathfinder and his jet pack <i>conveniently</i> launching him off the ship and into highly populated areas in the arenas.</p><p>So he '<i>gritted his teeth</i>' per say and dealt with Pathfinder and his annoying ways.</p><p>Right now, they were looting the train area. Revenant's hub was saying that they were one of the few squads left, so chances were that they would have the train area to themself for a moment before anyone came really looking for them. However, a down moment meant that Pathfinder was talking... again... and given that he did not need to stop and take a breath and that he could move without interrupting himself.  Which meant that he could go on... and on... and on...</p><p>And Revenant really was trying to hold it together. Several shit games in a row was making him actually want to win this one, because he sure as shit did not want to get dropped in a hot zone next game and get shot in the face within the first minute of touch down and get taken out. Or get stuck in yet another game with Pathfinder and get annoyed into yelling at him again and start a vicious cycle of punishment that would grate on Revenant's nerves in a way that almost felt human.</p><p>"And then my friend Gibraltar said--"</p><p>Revenant felt a optic glitch out, his closest attempt to an eye twitch.</p><p>"And then my friend Mirage said--"</p><p>Revenant's nails dragged along the crate that he was trying to open, dragging along metal and carving lines into it.</p><p>"AND THEN you wouldn't believe what my friend Lifeline said--"</p><p>"Pathfinder."</p><p>"-- Yes, friend?"</p><p>Revenant stalked over to him, seeing actual red because his coding was stressed to hell and back and he just wanted some fucking silence. His hands hastily went out to press against the Pathfinder, angry and just wanting to stop the fucking noise.</p><p>"SHUT UP!"</p><p>There was silence for a moment.</p><p>"Are you trying to cover my mouth?"</p><p>Revenant took a second to process that, realizing that he was, in his fit of rage, trying to cover a mouth that Pathfinder did not have. And then that anger was ice cold and humiliation flooded his system.</p><p>"That is a completely useless gesture, as I do not have a mouth!" Pathfinder laughed, his screen switching over to a laughing emote just to further his humor. "You are cute!"</p><p>"... C-cute?" Revenant asked, his hands falling away.</p><p>"Yes. You are quite cute for doing that," Pathfinder chimed. "You are also quite funny, friend Revenant! I am glad that you are on my team and one of my friends, Revenant."</p><p>Revenant stood there, baffled, unsure how to react. He had just tried to cover a creature's mouth that did not have a mouth and in response... he had been called... cute and funny. His arms dropped to hang limply by his sides as Pathfinder finished looting and hopped off the train that they had been traveling around on. He heard the chime of Pathfinder's voice outside, calling him to come join him.</p><p>He got called... cute...</p><p>Later, when the two of them did surprising do well and ended up finishing first together, one of the higher ups in an expensive suit that they never worked a day in their life to afford, stopped him as he wanted to go numbly recharge and contemplate what the fuck happened.</p><p>"I won't hold you, but you did very well today Revenant, fans loved the flirting!"</p><p>They walked away and Revenant felt a finally third blow to his person that day.</p><p>Flirting.... Pathfinder was flirting with him...?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Mirage/Bloodhound, fluff</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Bloodhound/Mirage, nblm fluff, mentioned food and briefly mentioned alcohol</p><p>5 times Mirage flustered Bloodhound and kissed them and one time that Bloodhound flustered Mirage and kissed him</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Houndie! Houndie! Houndie!"</p><p>"What?" Bloodhound asked, startled. They were in the middle of a game, Elliot coming up to them panicked, yelling his nickname for them was not a good sign. Where was the enemy--</p><p>"Can you remove your mask real quick?" Elliot said, ducking down to join them as they ducked down behind a wall to take cover.</p><p>"Uh... sure?" They said, reaching for the buckles and undoing them.</p><p>Their mask fell away and-- Elliot leaned over and kissed them on the lips, softly and sweetly. And then he leaned back, winked at them as they started furiously blushing, snapped his head down to let his goggles fall and then started walking off while crouched.</p><p>They scolded themself for getting so flustered before redoing their mask, picking themself up and going about their way while still blushing behind their gear.</p>
<hr/><p>"Hey, baby, want some of my milkshake?"</p><p>"If you're willing to share," Bloodhound said, taking off their mask and taking hold of the offered cup.</p><p>They were hanging out at Elliot's bar after hours, after Elliot had gotten off a shift. Shortly after his shifts he usually was the one to write up the totals, divvy up tips fairly and make notes for people to order substantially depleted ingredients for drinks and the kitchen. Bloodhound liked to sit with him at this time, it was actually quiet in the bars at this time, and they could just talk and be around one another.</p><p>"Alright... we really need to just start ordering more cherries and cherry flavored booze, Crypto ordering that fe-fer-- a lot has gotten bought because people see him drinking them at the bar," Elliot hummed. "Chocolate liquor too..."</p><p>They took a sip of the sweet drink. Elliot had gotten them hooked on less 'traditional' sweets, especially the milkshakes that he made behind the bar. They also liked sharing drinks with him, it felt like such a sweet and gentle gesture of intimacy.</p><p>"You got some on your..."</p><p>"Where?"</p><p>Elliot leaned over and kiss them on the lips, leaning back and grinning lopsidedly at them.</p><p>"There."</p><p>They grumbled and blushed while Elliot just looked smug.</p>
<hr/><p>"Ow, ow, ow," Elliot groaned.</p><p>"Big baby," Lifeline affectionately scolded as she wrapped an ice pack around Elliot's shoulder.</p><p>"He got his shoulder dislocated, I think he can complain a little," Bloodhound chuckled.</p><p>"Well, he's damn lucky it wasn't a bad one, and that my tech can help most anything, ya still gonna report for physical therapy, yeah?" Lifeline chuckled.</p><p>"I will make him," Bloodhound said, chuckling behind their mask when Elliot pouted.</p><p>Lifeline did take pity on him and gave him a slightly stronger than over the counter painkiller, before 'leaving him in Bloodhound's capable hands'. Lifeline went to clean up after the round of games, leaving the two of them alone for the moment.</p><p>"Nothing too painful?" Bloodhound asked softly.</p><p>"Nah, the ice and painkillers are helping... seeing your face might help me out..."</p><p>They chuckled as Elliot grinned as they took off their mask, helmet and goggles before putting their hands on either side of his hips as he sat on Lifeline's table and leaning in. He had flusted them enough for one week, it was time to--</p><p>Elliot leaned forward and kissed their nose, and when they paused, he tilted his head and kissed their lips softly. When they sighed happily against the kiss, forgetting their wanting to tease him, Elliot started peppering kisses against their lips, making them forget everything for a few moments.</p><p>He could have this one too, they thought with a note of delight.</p>
<hr/><p>A cold front had hit Solace rather hard. Elliot had come knocking on their door, clutching his arms around himself, teeth chattering, and saying something about heat and electricity being cut from the bar due a fire nearby. They had readily welcomed him in, taking one of their blankets and wrapping it around him and sitting him before their fire and feeding it a bit more wood before sitting next to him.</p><p>"Does anything hurt?" They asked, critically looking over him. Elliot had no cold resistance like they did. Frost damage could have been a real thing if Elliot had tried to suffer through the cold for any length of time.</p><p>"'M good," Elliot chattered.</p><p>They sat with him a bit, making sure that he was warming and idly talking with him to keep him awake. After several moments, Elliot asked if he could cuddle with them to warm up the rest of the way. They chuckled fondly as he shuffled into their lap, fiddling with their mask before they went ahead and undid their own mask, letting Elliot press his still cool face against their cheek.</p><p>"Better?" They asked softly.</p><p>"Yeah, baby," Elliot sighed happily before pausing for a moment. "There is one other thing that needs warmed up."</p><p>"Hmm?"</p><p>Elliot lifted his head and kissed the corner of their mouth. They huffed quietly, blushing already.</p><p>"Properly."</p><p>Elliot beamed, that smile still there as he leaned in as they turned their head and kissing their smiling lips.</p>
<hr/><p>They were snuggling in bed.</p><p>Elliot was pressed against their chest, face pressed against their shirt, right above where their heart was as he lay wrapped up in their arms. Their face was pressed against his hair, those endearing curls and waves that they loved so much. They very much loved holding Elliot against them, they very much loved snuggling in bed with him, they very much loved Elliot.</p><p>"Hmm... love my baby."</p><p>They turned their head slightly and kissed his hair.</p><p>Elliot nosed along their chest for a moment before shifting, Bloodhound pulling away a bit to let Elliot finish shifting, pulling away a little and lifting his head to look at them. He sighed dreamily.</p><p>"What?" They chuckled.</p><p>"You're just... did it hurt?"</p><p>"Did what hurt?"</p><p>"When you fell from heaven, angel."</p><p>They laughed, Elliot beaming because he was always so happy whenever he made someone laugh or smile or be happy.</p><p>"You look good when you smile, baby."</p><p>"Oh?"</p><p>"Yeah," Elliot grinned as he closed the distance between them and kissed them in a way that had them blushing clear to their ears.</p>
<hr/><p>"Elliot, come here for a moment?"</p><p>Elliot looked up from the pile of fan mail in his hands, throwing them a smile, before putting the fan mail aside, rising to his feet and then walking over to them. He grinned when they opened their arms and he eagerly went into them, pressing their fronts together as they hugged him close to their body.</p><p>"Hey baby, you come here often?" Elliot grinned at them.</p><p>"Yes, quite often. There is this handsome man with a smile that would make the gods swoon," They said smoothly, grinning when Elliot faltered and laughed nervously as he blushed bright red and to his ears. They grinned and leaned into his space a bit more.</p><p>"Something wrong?"</p><p>"You... you're fighting dirty."</p><p>"I would do no such thing, especially with a man who's charm and lovely personality causes the sun to rise every day."</p><p>"Oh my god, Houndie," Elliot said, voice hitching up several octaves.</p><p>"Yeess?" They teased.</p><p>Elliot pouted and they relented, quieting themself by kissing their sweetly blushing and flustered boyfriend.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Bangalore/Loba</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Loba/Bangalore, wlw fluff, goofiness</p><p>Just a goofy thought for lobalore</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A dismissable but still rather audiable crack drew Mirage and Wattson's attention back to Loba as she walked behind them. When they looked back at her, they found Loba staring down at her heel, broken clean off at where it met the shoe.</p><p>"Ah," Loba said, rather nonchalant about it, probably not even really caring.</p><p>"Must have been when we had to jump off that cliff to get away from Caustic," Mirage said as Loba looked at her heel almost dejectedly, though more annoyed then anything.</p><p>"I could fix that for you, Loba," Wattson offered.</p><p>"Oh no!" Loba suddenly yelled, making both Mirage and Wattson jump. She put a hand delicately to her forehead and another to her chest, dramatically posing actually. "I've broken a heel! I can't possibly walk like this!"</p><p>"It's... really okay, Loba, we can fix a shoe, I mean both me and Watts here are en-- em-- we build stuff, so could definietly fix a heel," Mirage pointed out. "Also I've seen you take your heels off and walk barefoot. You do it like, after every round."</p><p>"If only there was a big, strong solider to come pick me up and carry me!" Loba cried dramatically.</p><p>"... Oh I see," Mirage said, putting an arm out before Wattson and walking himself and her back in time for Bangalore to suddenly truck forward to a determind look in her eye. The two watched as Bangalore marched up to Loba before proudly putting her hands on her hips and striking a heroic pose.</p><p>"I see that you've broken a heel, you can't walk like that," Bangalore said, putting on her best dashing smile.</p><p>"If only a big strong soldier would pick me up," Loba sighed dramatically, before fluttering her eyes at Bangalore and the two to share a knowing look.</p><p>"Oh, I get it now," Wattson said as Bangalore ducked down and picked up Loba damsel style. Once secured in her arms, Loba made a show of putting her arms around Bangalore's neck 'for the support' before giving her a smoldering look, the two smiling at one another as Bangalore walked forward while easily carrying Loba in her arms. "Why be so dramatic about it then?"</p><p>"Because it's Loba," Mirage said, walking over and grabbing Loba's lost heel off the ground and putting it in his pocket before trudging forward. "She's gotta be the <i>extra</i> sapphic when she can. Come on, Watts."</p><p>"... Does that mean she doesn't need her heel fixed or..."</p><p>"One sec... HEY LOBA! You want your heel fixed or do you want to be gay first?" Mirage called out.</p><p>"I wanna be gay first!"</p><p>"Later," Mirage yawned while Wattson giggled.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Mirage/Bloodhound, fluff</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Mirage/Bloodhound, nblm fluff</p><p>When you wanna cuddle the bf but your instrument of slatra has been dulled and needs sharpened, so you do both</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Whatcha two dorks doing?"</p><p>"Multi-tasking."</p><p>Ajay snorted as she looked over Bloodhound and Mirage. Mirage was currently sitting in their lap, chest to chest, his head on their shoulder and out like a snuffed light, snoring softly away. Bloodhound was sharpening their ax, using their biceps to press down on Mirage's sides to keep him steady and leaned against themself and their arms outstretched enough to avoid any sparks or bumping of Mirage. It seemed rather uncomfortable, buy Ajay had noted that they had taken their seat like that and the drop ship that was taken them home after a round of games had been flying for about fifteen minutes now. That was a long time to sit and be uncomfortable.</p><p>"Is he really sleeping through that noise?" Ajay asked, tilting her head back to look at Elliot's face, completely lax in sleep.</p><p>"Given how he can sleep through turbulence as this ship cuts through storms?" Bloodhound chuckled, dragging their whetstone along the edge of their ax. "He was very tired before he came into the game, so I cannot blame him for sleeping soundly despite the noise I'm making."</p><p>"Well, I just came over to make sure he was still breathin'. We should be touching down soon... think he'll wake up?"</p><p>"I can carry him."</p><p>"You sure? You're a strong person, Hound. But Mirage there is a full grown man geared up..."</p><p>Bloodhound tilted their helmet towards Ajay before nodding once. "I can carry him."</p><p>"Alright, but no crying to me if you pull some, ey Hound?" Ajay chuckled softly as she walked up to gather up all her gear.</p><p>Bloodhound chuckled themself, turning back to their ax. Only a few more strokes and the notches and damage done from the round of fights would be mostly smoothed out. Their full set up for actually fixing and doing deep maintenance was at their dwellings, so they would finish up the last details there. They looked over the edge once more to make sure that the metal was not warped, bent or anything that would be a rather serious fix, before deeming it good and putting it away. The ship rocked gently as it entered its final decent into Solace, a gentle voice of the PA system above noted their arrival. Thankfully, there were no necessary sessions with fans or the like today, the weather had taken a turn and the round of games had been harsh, so the fighters were being encouraged to head home before the downpour began.</p><p>When the ship jolted as it hit, they braced their arms underneath of Elliot and hefted him up with themself as they stood, easily walking out the back of the ship as it opened up.</p><p>The clouds were dark, but they knew nature enough to know that the rain was still a bit off, enough at least to let them walk home at an even pace, get the door open and gently kick it close before the first droplets fell. With the door closed, they walked over to their bed and gently deposited Elliot into it, finally startling the man awake.</p><p>"... Crap, I slept through the flight again," Elliot groaned, putting a hand to his face as they got their fireplace lit.</p><p>"Yes, quite soundly," Bloodhound chuckled fondly.</p><p>"Sorry Houndie... you... you carried me home, didn't you?"</p><p>"Yes I did, elskan."</p><p>"... Thank you, baby. Anyway ever tell you you're an angel?"</p><p>"You, all the time."</p><p>They turned around and saw that Elliot had taken his gear off and was down to his shirt and pants underneath. He gave them a sheepish smile before beckoning them over with a crooking of his finger. They walked over to him and bent down to be more level with him, already smiling as he gently undid the buckles to their respirator, took hold of their head and tilted them down just that little bit to give them a kiss.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Revenant/Pathfinder</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Implied Revenant/Pathfinder, fluff</p><p>Inspired by https://twitter.com/SanguineEquinox/status/1290779574364712960 this extremely cute art</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Red cloth billowing in the wind, like blood in water.</p><p>"Ah."</p><p>Pathfinder abandoned looting a crate for more heavy ammo to stand straight to look at the cloth that had caught his optic. A long trail of red cloth, a very familiar red color, billowing softly in the wind as it hung wrapped around some jagged piping that was part of some ruined building. It looked like the wind had caught it and then the jagged lines of metal had caught it as it had drifted in the wind. And now it remained caught and remained billowing as much as it could in the breeze.</p><p>"Pathy!" Lifeline called.</p><p>She was waiting with Octane as he scooped up some ammo, filling his gun and then his short pockets, the two of them standing a short distance away.</p><p>"One moment, friends!" Pathfinder called back. </p><p>He made a snap decision, quickly running over to the length of red clothing, gently working it loose from the jagged piping carefully. Sure enough, it was indeed the length of cloth that Revenant wore around his head. Pathfinder found the symbol that usually laid on his forehead when it was properly wrapped around his head and even the patch of fabric that seemed perpetually creased from where it was generally knotted to keep the cloth in place.</p><p>"Oh, looks like the boogeyman was through here," Lifeline said, having decided to come over to investigate what Pathfinder was looking at. "Guess we should keep a look out for him."</p><p>"I will take this with me! Friend Revenant will want it back," Pathfinder said, boldly wrapping the cloth around his own head. It was slightly awkward with the different shapes of the respective wearers heads. But Pathfinder knew Revenant enough to know how it was supposed to sit. </p><p>Once he had even seen Revenant wrap his head with it. After a long round, they had lost, and they both had trudged to the ship back home. While it was just the two of them while the winning team posed for the cameras, Revenant had sat down rather close to Pathfinder (at least compared to anyone else, Revenant often chose the further corner and <i>stared</i> at everyone, first on and last off to avoid everyone) and undid the cloth. </p><p>Pathfinder had seen the rather... human-like structure to the never before seen back part of Revenant's head and his neck. His neck... Pathfinder, even as jovial and easy going as he was, would hesitant to call anything about Revenant anything other than it was and that it was part of a killer, but there was something so... achingly delicate about how thin Revenant's neck was. Not that Pathfinder had gotten to ponder it long, or that he would ever vocalize a word about it, before Revenant was shaking out the cloth and dislodging two bullets and some dust and sand, before rewrapping it around his head with practiced ease. They had sat in silence, even after the victors had joined them.</p><p>"You sure, Pathy?" Lifeline asked as he tied the knot around his head, drawing Pathfinder away from the memory. "That big spiny asshole ain't exactly friendly."</p><p>"I am sure! Let's get going! I feel good about this round!" Pathfinder chimed. Call him silly, but he felt powerful for having that simple red cloth around his head. Something that Lifeline noted with a hitched high eyebrow, before shrugging and following after him.</p><p>They won the round, eliminating all other teams. But never once had they found Revenant. Pathfinder began to worry about him. Enough so to be distracted when they flashed pictures and fans wanted autographs.</p><p>"Wait, why do you have Revenant's cloth thingy," Someone asked after he had mechanically scrawled his autograph.</p><p>"I need to get it back to my friend!" He said before wilting. Where was Revenant...</p><p>The second he could get free, Pathfinder took off, using his mechanical body to really speed through Solace. Once he was sure that there was no one trailing after him, he went where he knew that Revenant hid between games. He had come over to swap plants with Revenant, so he knew where it was by heart. Both of them had actually bonded quite a bit over the hobby of theirs of keeping and maintaining plants. Revenant liked to tease him about picking 'high maintenance' flowers, he liked to tease Revenant right back about liking hard to kill and stubborn invasive species.</p><p>In a little hole in the wall in some dark and mostly abandoned warehouse distract, Pathfinder slipped into the one that he needed going over to a corner and lifted up a dirt and trash covered tarp and lifting up the hidden doors to the warehouse's cellar and let both fall closed over him as he slipped inside. Once a highly sturdy storeroom, Revenant had renovated the room to become something of an underground greenhouse, complete with the necessary lights overhead and a few rough airways to allow circulation to the plots of dirt neatly arranged on propped up settings and protected with metal wiring, to keep them protected from--</p><p>A small meow at Pathfinder's feet nearly startled him, instead looking down at the three legged and purring cat staring up at him expectantly.</p><p>"Good evening, small furry friend!" Pathfinder said, bending down to gently pet the purring cat's head. Around its neck was something decidedly new, a pale pink color and a decently sized bell, which was strange considering that Revenant's cats hardly left the room, but touching regardless. "Have you seen our other friend?"</p><p>The cat meowed and rubbed up against Pathfinder's leg before trotting off happily.</p><p>A rough sound further back in the room drew Pathfinder's attention back there. He followed it, going back into the supplies that Revenant kept because they were 'important'. Spare guns, cat food, things to keep his plants happy, healthy and alive, and a dusty holo-vid watcher. And surely enough, back there, Revenant was shuffling around, looking through a box for a moment, before standing to full height and letting out a sigh through his vocalizer.</p><p>"Hello friend!"</p><p>Revenant did not jump, Pathfinder did not expect him too, instead turning to address him nonchalantly.</p><p>"Hello Path-- is that..."</p><p>"Huh?"</p><p>"My... you have the cloth," Revenant said.</p><p>"... Oh right! Yes I do, I saw it in the game and meant to get it to you. But I couldn't find you friend, so I came here because sometimes I find you here!" Pathfinder chimed, closing the distance between them. Pathfinder was tall for a bot, at least compared to his human coworkers, but Revenant was taller still, about twenty centimetres if Pathfinder was gauging their height difference correctly.</p><p>Revenant was looking at him. While it looked much like his other staring, Pathfinder was privvy enough to note Revenant's limited range of being able to portray different emotions and the small things he did to give himself a wider range. He was staring... but in a way that Pathfinder had seen him staring at his plants that he claimed he only kept as a hobby to prevent 'going mad with bordom' and then self planted and reworked an entire room to properly shelter and give them life. Or the cats he said he hated and only kept around to fight the rat problem and then got them food, collars, toys, beds and gave them homes rather then letting them shiver in the warehouse above.</p><p>"Would you like it back?" Pathfinder asked.</p><p>Revenant tilted his head, still staring at him in a way that Pathfinder decided had to be 'endearment'.</p><p>"... Maybe in a bit, I just feel better knowing where it is," Revenant decided on.</p><p>"Okay! Guess I'll keep wearing it, friend!" Pathfinder chimed, his screen flashing a smiling emote.</p><p>"I don't see why not," Revenant said in perhaps the most lighthearted and 'endeared' tone that Pathfinder had heard out of him, and with a light chuckle laced in his voice too.</p><p>And then he did something even more unexpected, reaching out and fiddling with the cloth, making it sit 'right and pulling it so it would lay more over his shoulder joints rather than in danger of sliding into delicate mechanisms. It struck Pathfinder, that Revenant, who was decidedly prickly with everyone, was being downright nice to him. But then again, he liked Revenant and was not really going to question a friendly attitude.</p><p>"Do I look as scary as you?" Pathfinder joked, a laughing emoji appearing on his screen.</p><p>"Sure," Revenant chuckled.</p><p>"I don't think I'll ever be as cool or as scary as you are friend, but thank you for humoring me!"</p><p>"Humoring you..." And again Revenant looked at Pathfinder with that endeared look to his optics. "Sure, let's go with that, friend."</p><p>Positively beaming at being called friend, Pathfinder bounced on his feet as he started excitedly telling Revenant how the match went while Revenant went about taking care of his plants and then the meowing cats that rubbed against their legs.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Mirage/Bloodhound</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Mirage/Bloodhound, nblm fluff</p><p>Bloodhound took a spill and fell into some gnarly underbrush and needs some help cleaning up. Mirage is happy to help his baby out~</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"I found a fu--" Mirage had to bend over to just outright wheeze with laughter, holding the twig that he had just pulled from Bloodhound's mess of dark hair. Bloodhound pouted at him, leveling a look at him as he laughed until his sides hurt as he held an honest to god twig in his hand and the extra heavy duty hairbrush in the other.</p><p>"Elskan, please," Bloodhound grumbled.</p><p>"Sorry, sorry," Mirage giggled as he tossed the twig aside and went back to trying to make sense out of the mud and other things currently nesting in Bloodhound's hair.</p><p>"One bad slip into the underbrush," Bloodhound muttered.</p><p>"I'm sorry baby," Mirage cooed, bending down to kiss their cheek, softening the pout on their face before really getting back to work.</p><p>Thankfully, there was mostly just knots and mud left after finding the one stray twig left in the mess that had become Bloodhound's hair after they had fallen (after losing their helmet) into a rather untamed underbrush and had to hack their way free. Now they were scrubbing what they could off their gear as Mirage helped clean up their hair enough for them to take a shower. to finally clean up.</p><p>"I'm not yanking too hard, am I?"</p><p>"No, you are being gentle. But please leave the braids for me to undo, I need to undo the bands anyway."</p><p>Thankfully persistence paid off, and between the two of them, they managed to get most of the bulk dirt and mud off of Bloodhound's gear and Elliot had more or less gotten most of the knots, dirt and mud and two leaves out of their hair. Mirage made sure to double check his work by running his fingers through their hair, making sure to get two very gentle handfuls to tug their head back until he could lean over and kiss their forehead, making them smile in that way that he loved. Actually, he loved all of Bloodhound's smiles, but there was something about the small ones when Mirage gave them quick little pecks that he thought were their cutest ones.</p><p>"Alright... now to scrub for an hour."</p><p>"Want some help?"</p><p>"If you wish."</p><p>"I do. My baby had a rough day and I'm here to make them feel better!" Mirage grinned, giving them another peck and making the big badass hunter blush softly.</p><p>Thankfully, not a lot of mud had managed to get past the bulk of their armor, but where it did had really gotten caked in deep and needed scrubbing. While they scrubbed at their hands, neck and face, Elliot sat behind their tub and worked soap and water through their hair to work out the dried mud out, also washed the back of their neck and the back of their ears.</p><p>"Has anyone told you, you're a blessing upon this earth, elskan?" Bloodhound said after a few moments of scrubbing.</p><p>"Uh huh."</p><p>"Hmm?"</p><p>"You," Elliot said, leaning over their shoulder to kiss their cheek now that it was clean and making them blush again.</p><p>"My blessing from the Allfather himself, sometimes you feel like, elskan," Bloodhound chuckled softly.</p><p>"It's gonna take a blessing from the Allfather to get you cleaned," Mirage muttered, grinning with Bloodhound playfully pouted. "Come on baby, let's get you cleaned up. Because a clean Bloodhound is a much better to kiss and cuddle Bloodhound."</p><p>Bloodhound huffed playfully, before smiling as they went back to tag teaming cleaning them up.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Gibraltar/Crypto, fluff</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Gibraltar/Crypto, mlm fluff, cw: food</p><p>Sweet as cherry pie</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Share the cherries, Cry."</p><p>Crypto turned his body, to shield the bowl of fruit in his arms and tucked against his chest, but Makoa just grabbed his sides and pulled him easily across the floor and then into the big man's lap. He had to swallow the cherry he had been savoring to avoid choking on it in his laughter, snorting really as Gibraltar just reached around him to pluck a cherry from the bowl and pop it into his mouth, humming in satisfaction about finally grabbing them. Crypto also liked to think about the person in his lap, but he had been hogging the bowl of fruit for the past few minutes and Makoa had threatened to use 'any means necessary' to get it back, though with a crooked grin on his handsome face and a mischievous twinkle to his eye.</p><p>"Fine," He snorted, finally able to swallow past his chuckles, squirming in surprise for half a second when one of Makoa's arms slipped around his waist, the other devoted to raiding the fruit bowl they were now sharing.</p><p>"Oh what a crime, sharin' with me," Makoa laughed, taking a piece of apple from the bowl, seeing that Crypto was leaving most everything else but the cherries alone, and popping that into his mouth.</p><p>"Not a crime, I'm just greedy," Crypto grinned, before reaching into the bowl and plucking out something yellow and lovingly carved into the shape of a heart. He ate that, he was pretty sure it was a melon of some kind, savoring the sweetness in his mouth. In his heart, in his head, in his life. But mostly of the sweetness on his tongue.</p><p>"So if I took one of these bad boys..." Makoa teased, taking up a cherry.</p><p>"I can share... also that one still has a stem attached," Crypto pointed out.</p><p>"Oh! Can you do the cherry stem trick?"</p><p>"What's the cherry stem trick?"</p><p>Makoa plucked the stem from the cherry, holding the cherry still to keep Crypto from taking it, before popping the stem into his mouth. Crypto watched, slightly fascinated, as Makoa made a show of working his tongue around his mouth for a few moments. After those few moments, Makoa opened his mouth and stuck out his tongue, showing the cherry stem... and how it was laying tied on his tongue.</p><p>"Wow," Crypto said, eyebrows hitched up and quite agape at the skill, watching Makoa take the knoted stem from his mouth and flick it away.</p><p>"It means your a good kisser," Makoa beamed.</p><p>"Didn't need a cherry stem to know that," Crypto smiled, setting the fruit bowl aside so that he could twist around in Makoa's lap, cup his handsome face and kiss him almost as sweet as the fruit still lingering on his tongue.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Revenant/Pathfinder</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Revenant/Pathfinder, fluff</p><p>He bought roses, but he's not going to admit what it means</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Roses?"</p><p>"Yeah. They don't want to grow for shit at my place," Revenant said, trying to not look at the red roses that were absolutely not from his place. And nor had he bought them to plant in his own little garden in his little shitty abandon warehouse hideout.</p><p>He had bought them... for Pathfinder.</p><p>Because Pathfinder had said that he wanted more flowers for his little greenhouse. And despite the fact that Revenant had not been human for a very long time and he had forgot a lot of 'human' shit, like morals and manners and shit, he had remembered that... you give red roses to those that you... fuck he could hardly think it because it was fucking embarrassing. But he had... wanted too and thus... Pathfinder was currently holding a pot with bright red roses, and the pot had come with a silky pink ribbon and a bright pink and bursting with red hearts card professing... anyway, Revenant had thrown those away before handing the pot over to Pathfinder. Pathfinder, whom was petting the silky petals as he looked them over.</p><p>"Thank you friend! I was looking for flowers to add to my greenhouse, these will be perfect!" Pathfinder chimed happily. "I've never tried to grow roses before, this will be fun!"</p><p>"Uh huh," Revenant hummed out.</p><p>"Why roses?"</p><p>"Huh?"</p><p>"Why did you buy me roses?" Pathfinder asked.</p><p>He really, really needed to stop thinking that perhaps Pathfinder was as dumb as he played. Did not mean that he needed to admit anything, huffing and turning to look at something else in Pathfinder's greenhouse. Any other of the flowers that Pathfinder grew, or literally of the other bright and colorful plants that Pathfinder grew because he liked them.</p><p>"It's quite nice of you, best friend!" Pathfinder said after a moment of silence and it being apparent that Revenant was not going to answer no matter how hard Pathfinder bore his optic. "I will make sure to take special care for them."</p><p>"Right..."</p><p>Pathfinder had a plot ready, going over and looking like he was going to start the process of taking them out of pot and replanting them. Only to pause, putting the pot on a table and coming back over to him.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>Pathfinder stood in front of him, put his hands on his hips, his screen lit up with several dozen hearts and then he stood on the tips of his metal feet and gently butted his head against Revenant's. He laughed, fell back to the flats of his feet and went back over to the table with the roses waiting for him.</p><p>It took about several minutes for Revenant to realize that... that was perhaps Pathfinder's way of... giving him a kiss?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Mirage/Bloodhound</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Bloodhound/Mirage, nblm fluff, family au</p><p>Mirage wakes up in the middle of the night to find Bloodhound back from the hunt</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Elliot startled awake in the middle of the night.</p><p>At first he wondered where he was, then recalling that he was at home, then why he was awake. He rolled his head to look at his alarm clock, reading it at four am. Four am... what usually woke him up at 4 am... oh right!</p><p>He sat up quickly, keeping an ear out as he shuffled zombie like out of bed. His usual four am alarm was not going off. He quickly shuffled over to the crib in his room, looking in and seeing it... empty. Lifting his head up, he saw a familiar helmet and breathed a sigh of relief, smiling to himself as he quietly crept out of his room, going down the hallway and into the darkened living room, seeing a familiar shadowed figure.</p><p>"Good evening, elskan," Bloodhound quietly murmured into the darkness.</p><p>"Hey baby, just get back?" Elliot chuckled, carefully finding his way over to them in the dark, Bloodhound helping them out by leaning over and hitting a lamp switch, the dull orange illuminating them before they turned to put their body in the way of the light for the sweet little miracle bundled up against their chest.</p><p>"Yes, a successful hunt. How was Pup while I was away?"</p><p>"Kids too smart, kept looking at the door for you, baby," Elliot sighed, leaning against them before turning to their sleeping child, tucked up against Bloodhound's chest and swaddled in a pelt of soft white fur. Something of theirs, repurposed to gently hold the baby in, something soft, but also warm when it got cold. Elliot still liked his baby sling that he could take Pup around in.</p><p>"Poor Pup," Bloodhound chuckled softly.</p><p>Elliot reached over and rubbed the soft little cheek not smushed against fur against Bloodhound's chest. Little squirt seemed to sleep like the dead when being held, especially when Bloodhound held them, but Elliot still made sure to be gentle, their baby needed all the sleep in the world to grow up big and strong. What they would be when they grew up, neither of them knew, Elliot just knew that between the two of them, kid was going to be well loved and probably a little spoiled. Or a lot in Bloodhound's case, they had absolutely no resistance to pouty lips and puppy eyes and sad blubbering.</p><p>"You need rest," Bloodhound chuckled, stirring Elliot from his half doze.</p><p>"I like looking at our kid, baby, can't help it," Elliot chuckled, but still sleepily rubbing his cheek against Bloodhound's shoulder.</p><p>Bloodhound chuckled again, leaning over to give him a kiss.</p><p>"Pup has been changed and fed already. We should take advantage. You need sleep, elskan."</p><p>"Fine, fine," Elliot playfully huffed, grinning when Bloodhound snorted.</p><p>Reluctantly they stood, Elliot turning off the lamp, before they carefully made their way to the bedroom. Bloodhound lowered Pup into the cribe, making sure that they were safe and sound before quietly moving to the side to take off their gear and then climb into bed with Elliot, drawing him close to their chest to hold him. They smelled of pine, woodlands, mountain air, leather. They smelled like home.</p><p>"Always love when I have my two babies home," Elliot hummed.</p><p>"I am always happy to be home with my family," Bloodhound murmured back.</p><p>They only really got to settle down for a moment before Pup started blubbering miserably in the crib. Elliot barely had a groan out before Bloodhound kissed his forehead.</p><p>"Rest."</p><p>They shuffled away and then out of bed. Elliot still lifted his head to look, smiling softly as he watched Bloodhound coo softly to their baby, gently reaching into the crib and coming up with Pup, swaying softly while starting to hum a soft song quietly. Something about watching Bloodhound gently swaying their child while humming softly filled Elliot's heart up to burst and beyond.</p><p>His family.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sidenote:</p><p>Pup is not the baby's name, it was just a cute nickname that Mirage came up with that Bloodhound ADORED and they just keep using.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Mirage/Bloodhound, fluff</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Bloodhound/Mirage, nblm fluff, family au</p><p>more family au, this time their friends come to see Pup</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Hey little Pup!"</p><p>Pup giggled as Gibraltar gave them a light toss into the air, grinning as they giggled and beamed at him.</p><p>"Easy there, big guy! Bloodhound AND I hate it when you do that," Elliot said.</p><p>"You heard papi Witt! Now hand 'em over!" Octane said, making grabby hands.</p><p>Gibraltar chuckled, but gently lowered Pup into Octane's waiting hands as the man sat on the floor in Elliot's house. Octane carefully cradled Pup to his chest, cooing sweetly behind his mask as Pup giggled in his arms. Now that Pup was no longer at Gibraltar height, Ajay sat down next to Octane to coo at Pup too, waggling a finger for Pup to make grabby hands at.</p><p>"Cute as a button! Ain't ya?" Ajay grinned at Pup.</p><p>"Course! They got two good lookin' parents!" Elliot beamed.</p><p>"Nah, I think they got it all their own," Octane snorted, giggling when Elliot playfully frowned at him.</p><p>"I heard Octane got his 'holding' right revoked," Pathfinder chimed, taking Pup out of Octane's hands as he whined, cradling Pup in his arms as they giggled and rubbed little chubby fingers against his screen as it lit up with a bright and happy smiling emoji.</p><p>"Careful Pathy, you got metal that can pinch," Elliot warned. He felt like a fretting mother hen and maybe felt a little bad about scolding everyone about little things about holding his and Bloodhound's baby. But he was a first time dad, could he be blamed?</p><p>"I will be careful! I want this little human to be my friend when they're older!" Pathfinder chimed happily, screen lighting up as Pup giggled and smiled up at him.</p><p>Despite being a social little thing and generally digging the hell out of meeting new people and being held by them, eventually Pup started to get irritable and cranky and started blubbering miserably. Not wanting a crying baby on their hands, Pup was handed over to him. They settled right quick as Elliot held his baby, grinning as they quieted down as he held Pup to his chest and rubbed their little back.</p><p>"Hey there kiddo, happy to see daddy?"</p><p>Pup blubbered something before smushing a chubby cheek against his shirt.</p><p>"May I?"</p><p>"Sure thing, baby," Elliot grinned as Bloodhound held out their arms, easing their baby into the safety of them. Pup yawned once they were nestled against Bloodhound's chest, smushing a cheek against their chest and closing their little eyes and dozing off.</p><p>"Ya three are too fucking cute, I can't fucking take it," Ajay choked out.</p><p>Bloodhound and Elliot chuckled before turning their attention to Pup, sleeping peacefully away in Bloodhound's arms.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Bangalore/Loba, fluff</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Bangalore/Loba, wlw fluff, mentioned nonsexual nudity</p><p>Bangalore's back hurts. Loba wants to help.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Try to relax, sweetie, this won't work if you're tense."</p><p>"You're like... on me."</p><p>"Well..." Loba looked down at Anita, whose hips she was straddling as Anita laid on her belly, bereft of a shirt and still very tense as Loba dripped a little message oil into her hands. "Yeah. You never get a back message before?"</p><p>"Not like this," Anita admitted, jumping slightly as the bottle was closed with a crisp snap and placed aside.</p><p>"Ha, let me guess. One of your soldier buddies out in the field and you still had your gear on?" Loba chuckled before pressing her slippery hands into the rather lovely wall of muscle that made up Anita's back. A wall of very tense and knotted muscle that Loba was not sure how Anita not let interfere with her fighting. Or just drag her down. Loba probably would not had even seen it if she had not caught Anita trying to rub her own back and groaning in pain.</p><p>"Yeah. Just... seemed... silly?"</p><p>"Not silly to look after your body, Annie," Loba grinned as she went about the laborious task of trying to undo what was probably months built up stress and knots. </p><p>And damn, it was a work out. Loba did her own work out routine between her usual work, the Apex games and just to keep healthy and active. But trying to work out the stiffness and kinks in Bangalore much thicker muscles and work out set in stiffness and kinks really had Loba's arms burning. But she kept at it, growing stubborn in the face of the growing more and more daunting task. Mostly because she was rather spiteful in general, and also watching her baby finally fucking relax underneath the touch and letting out small groans of relief was music and art to her.</p><p>"See... not bad," Loba said once she felt a significant difference in the muscle.</p><p>"... No, not bad," Anita relented with a sigh of relief.</p><p>Loba got most of the stiffness and kinks out before Anita was asking to sit up. Honestly, Loba's arms were getting tired and she was sure that Anita was getting uncomfortably laying on her belly for so long anyway, but more importantly, she was sure that she had made a difference and was satisfied that Anita was doing better.</p><p>"Lemma wipe the oil off and get your shirt."</p><p>Loba got a washcloth from the bathroom and gently wiped up the left over message oil before getting Anita's shirt from off to the side, grinning when Anita sat up and obliged her, putting her arms up to let Loba tug it on. With her shirt on, Anita gently took hold of Loba's hips and pulled her quite happily into Anita's lap, grinning as Anita held her.</p><p>"Thanks honey," Anita said, smiling crookedly.</p><p>"Anything for you, Annie," Loba grinned before leaving forward to kiss her girlfriend sweetly.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Gibraltar/Crypto, mlm fluff</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Gibraltar/Crypto, mlm fluff, food mention</p><p>Makoa takes Crypto on a date</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Where are you taking me, Gibby?"</p><p>"Somewhere good, trust me, Cry," Makoa said, holding one of Crypto's hands in his and the cooler in the other as they walked.</p><p>Crypto hummed. He did not trust easy, but he trusted Makoa. And given that Makoa was wearing a rather casual outfit of a t-shirt and jeans, Crypto was mostly assured that they were not doing anything that might put them in harms way and therefore, warrent needing their gear. Though Crypto was still mostly dressed up in his, minus a few gadgets and such that he kept on him for hack, things like his drone, mostly out of habit. He hummed as he rubbed a thumb across the big hand holding his, squeezing it slightly.</p><p>Makoa lead them out some way into Solace, walking a bit away from the main bulk of the city out to the park that the city maintained for some 'green space to cheer people up', cutting through it until the edge of the park by an artifical lake that was more decoration than anything. Crypto was sure that the water was not exactly healthy to drink anyway.</p><p>"Ready for the surprise?" Makoa asked as they picked a spot by the lake.</p><p>"Yeah?"</p><p>"Picnic date!" Makoa beamed, letting go of Crypto's hand to pop open the cooler, first pulling out a cloth that was stuffed inside and above a number of packed food items. He laid out the cloth on the ground.</p><p>"Gibby... this is so cute..."</p><p>Makoa just grinned as Crypto sat down on the cloth.</p><p>Makoa had made them a lunch, a really good lunch as well. They enjoyed it while sitting next to each other and watching the light reflect off the lake and the sound of the park behind them. Crypto glanced over at Makoa, happily eating, but also his handsome features lit up with the afternoon light and just making Crypto's heart hammering away. Makoa was too goddamn handsome for Crypto's heart sometimes.</p><p>"Thank you, Gibby," Crypto said after a few moments.</p><p>"For you, baby? No problem," Makoa grinned, leaning over and kissing Crypto's temple and making his face heat up a little.</p><p>"I gotta plan a date for us now."</p><p>"Well, you don't gotta--"</p><p>"No, no. I want too. You're... you're really good to me, I want to be really good to you too," Crypto said, reaching down and slipping his hand into Makoa's. Makoa closed his fingers around Crypto's hand, squeezing softly.</p><p>"Nah, you're good to me too Tae," Makoa grinned, giving him another kiss on his temple and making Crypto smile.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Mirage/Bloodhound, nblm fluff</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Bloodhound/Mirage, nblm fluff, mentions to Evelyn Witt's Alzheimer, family au</p><p>more miragehound family fluff</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Hey mom, do you remember Pup?"</p><p>Evelyn paused for a second, her mind struggling to remember, before the lights clicked on so to speak and she bounced in her seat as Bloodhound came around with Pup in their arms.</p><p>"My grandbaby!" Evelyn beamed, holding out her arms.</p><p>Bloodhound gently lowered Pup into her arms, letting Evelyn lovingly cradle the sleeping babe. Evelyn cooed softly, careful not to wake Pup and pulled the baby closer to her chest. Pup, ever so tactile and lover of being held, just snuggled into the warmth of her chest and got comfortable, much to Evelyn's beaming delight.</p><p>"Oh, my sweet baby," Evelyn cooed.</p><p>"You okay mom?" Elliot asked softly.</p><p>"Right as rain with my grandbaby here," Evelyn beamed.</p><p>"Mom," Elliot snorted, giving his mom a grin.</p><p>"Yeah yeah, my sweet Eli, always worrying about me. They still got me on the pills and exercises, it's... hard sometimes, when I remember I'm forgetting. Hard when I don't know I am and someone is trying to get me to remember," Evelyn grumbled before sighing and giving her son a lopsided grin. "But I'm hanging in there. It's better than it was before."</p><p>"I am glad that you're doing better," Elliot smiled back.</p><p>"Now I can remember to bug you to bring the grandbaby over!"</p><p>Elliot laughed, grinning at the sight of his mom cooing quietly over the sight of his baby's sleeping face.</p><p>"You know, I was almost worried I wouldn't get any grandbabies. Five sons and not a single one of them had ANY luck with dating, can you believe that Blood dear?" Evelyn said to Bloodhound, grinning when Elliot mock scoffed. "I mean, if none of them wanted to have kids, I would understand. But they all tried so hard!"</p><p>Bloodhound snorted and then laughed while Elliot kept up his mock offended expression.</p><p>"Glad to be proved wrong, Eli," Evelyn grinned, sticking her tongue out at Elliot.</p><p>"Uh huh, love you too ma," Elliot said, finally breaking down and laughing with the other two.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Revenant/Pathfinder, fluff</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Revenant/Pathfinder, fluff</p><p>Pathfinder takes Revenant out on a fancy date</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"What's with the getup?"</p><p>"Because you look dashing!"</p><p>Revenant scoffed, fondly watching Pathfinder fiddle with the tie that had come with the suit. A suit meant for an awkward simulacrum frame and tailored to look good. Not that he needed it, even as a metal frame of twisted mechanisms, nightmares and alloys, he still looked damned good. But a suit tailored for his 'odd' frame and well... he felt, as Pathfinder so cutely called it 'spiffy'. The mask that was supposed to go with the suit was a slight damper, but he recognized that it was necessary given how his face was a well known nightmare among anyone that had even the slightest clue about Apex.</p><p>Pathfinder also had a suit tailored for his bulky MARVN frame, though a few pieces had to be taken off so it worked. But... he looked good. Revenant liked it anyway and honestly fuck everyone else if Pathfinder was digging his own look in it. Revenant appreciated the sight of Pathfinder in the tux as Pathfinder kept fiddling with his ties and lapels until they finally laid how Pathfinder wanted them.</p><p>"There! Handsome!" Pathfinder chimed.</p><p>"Yes, you are," Revenant said coolly, chuckling when Pathfinder's screen lit up underneath his shirt with a familiar pink and red color that told of a blushing emoji.</p><p>The masks got taken out, stuck to their faces with clever little hooks that would keep them snug and on firmly, before the two took off.</p><p>"Where are you taking me again?" Revenant asked as they passed into one of the more richer parts of Solace.</p><p>"An art museum! You said that you liked them once, right?" Pathfinder said as they walked.</p><p>"... Yes."</p><p>Said art museum was this rather nice, posh little joint with half a dozen dressed up figures. Apparently there was some event going on, so they had to sneak in, which was quite bold and dare Revenant say was thrilling and exciting to watch Pathfinder giggle his way through, before slipping inside. Once there, they both were thankful that their obvious non-human frames went unnoticed thanks to several dressed up bots, simulacrum guards and several people with glass domes that housed their brains while their metal bodies glinted with decorations.</p><p>And then... they admired.</p><p>Well, Revenant admired. He quite like the 'old' fashioned paintings that were still made with paint rather then digital stuff in digital frames, though those were nice in their own way. He just liked to see the depths in the paint strokes where the paint dried in streaks. It was rather cliche, but he loved the dark and macabre ones best, depicting hell-scapes and dripping blood and demons and such, those always had the most energy in the lines, the most 'emotion'. And always the ones with the more obvious brush strokes that he loved.</p><p>Pathfinder, Revenant quickly realized, was just there for him to have a good time. He looked at paints and sculptures, though obviously grew bored and fidgety as the night wore on, though doing his utmost to keep quiet and keep up with the subdued and quiet atmosphere of the event.</p><p>"If you're bored, we can leave..." Revenant offered when he saw Pathfinder fidget with his tie.</p><p>"But I want you to have a good time," Pathfinder quickly said.</p><p>"It shouldn't be at the cost of yours... come on, let's go do something fun, I've had a good fill."</p><p>Pathfinder seemed to have a mixed response to it, but followed when Revenant started to head towards the door.</p><p>"Did you see anything you liked?"</p><p>"Umm... yes, actually!"</p><p>Pathfinder took them on a little detour on their way out, pointing to a painting that Revenant had glanced at for a moment before being drawn to a sculpture made of animal bones a few feet away from it. It was a bright and sunny painting done in actual paint, of a young and smiling woman on an old fashioned wood swing. It depicted her midswing, leaned dangerous back in the seat, one hand clutching a rope and the other dragging behind her, with a field of flowers blooming in a path that thinned towards where her fingers touched the grass, almost as if the ground was exploding with flowers at her touch.</p><p>"'How Love Makes Me Feel'," Revenant said, reading the tag.</p><p>"Yeah!" Pathfinder said, bouncing a little on his feet.</p><p>"Hmm... Yeah... this one is good," Revenant said, but his eyes never straying from Pathfinder. "I like it a lot too."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Bloodhound/Mirage, fluff</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Mirage/Bloodhound, nblm fluff, food</p><p>miragehound honeymoon morning</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Good morning beautiful! How's the most handsome person to walk the planet today?"</p><p>"I don't know elskan, how are you?"</p><p>Elliot started, laughing nervously and then blushed darkly before breaking into embaressed giggles while Bloodhound only smirked at him. They walked over and kissed one dark pink and flushed cheek, chuckling when Elliot smiled brightly. They picked up his hand next, pulling it up to kiss the new ring on his hand, his wedding band from them. Their wedding had been just last night and they were now officially on their 'honeymoon'. Bloodhound did not really see the point of one, but an extended period of time where they could selfishly keep Elliot to themself? They would indulge that.</p><p>"Still trying to get me to blush, so early in the morning," Elliot grinned when they let his hand go. Elliot took their hand and kissed the band, their band from him, on their hand and making their heart go warm and soft. They smiled softly.</p><p>"You become even more handsome when you blush, elskan, I cannot help myself," Bloodhound hummed.</p><p>"Truely you are evil," Elliot giggled.</p><p>"Truely. Now, my trophy husband to my evil empire, what are our plans for the day?" Bloodhound asked.</p><p>"Well, breakfast. Was kinda hoping to catch you in bed," Elliot said, standing at the counter as he mixed something in a bowl. It looked like pancake batter and they groaned with hunger at the thought of Elliot's absolutely decadent pancakes waiting for them. "But you're up so..."</p><p>"I get to see my husband in a cute apron," Bloodhound hummed, standing behind Elliot and looping their arms around his waist and hugging him close. "Also pester him for burnt bacon?"</p><p>"I can burn some bacon for the spouse," Elliot laughed.</p><p>"Hmm... can I also pester him for hazelnut spread and cream instead of syrup?"</p><p>"My baby wants to be spoiled, got it," Elliot chuckled, turning his head enough to kiss their nose.</p><p>"I will spoil you for lunch, I promise," Bloodhound rumbled.</p><p>"You don't need to return the favor, baby. I just love spoiling you."</p><p>They hummed, before gently taking a hold of his jaw and turning him to kiss him soft, long and proper on his lovely lips. The lips of their husband, that they would kiss for a long time, for the rest of their lives if the Allfather was kind and they were thinking that he would be. And they would hold him and woo him and spoil him and love him for the rest of their lives. They were blessed by the Allfather for the existence of Elliot Witt and they were blessed further for Elliot falling in love with them and getting down on one knee that fateful day and asking them to marry him. They were very blessed and their very soul felt at home as they held their husband.</p><p>"Now, need to cook the baby an amazing breakfast. You gonna... stand there and watch a master do his stuff?" Elliot asked when they parted, face beautifully pink.</p><p>"Hmm... I will make you coffee and myself tea, so I do not distract you. I want pancakes for breakfast, not coal," Bloodhound hummed, kissing the corner of his jaw before reluctantly letting him go.</p><p>"Hey, I'm a great cook! I only burnt the pancakes once and that was because YOU were distracting me," Elliot laughed as they started making Elliot his preferred coffee for the morning and put a kettle on the stove to boil water for their tea.</p><p>"I like distracting you," They smiled as he started cooking. "And you agreed to marry me. So you agreed to many more distractions for many years to come."</p><p>Elliot laughed and they watched their husband cook with a smile on their face. Yes, they were truly blessed.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Loba/Bangalore, wlw fluff</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Loba/Bangalore, wlw fluff</p><p>Loba and Bangalore go on a date</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Anita had not been on a date in... awhile. She blamed herself for not being the greatest when it came to social skills and recently being focused on getting the hell out of the Apex games and just going the fuck home. So when her lovely, amazing, wonderful girlfriend invited her out to a bar for a 'casual' date, Anita was glad that it was something that she could do and a casual date none the less. She could do this, especially if Loba was there in her stunning glory.</p><p>So, wearing a good t-shirt, jeans and boots, Anita arrived a few minutes early before the bar that Loba wanted to go, idling away on her phone as she waited for her girlfriend to show.</p><p>"Annie!" Loba called, pulling Anita's attention from her phone.</p><p>"Hey Lo--"</p><p>Anita paused and then felt her face go hot. Because for a casual date, Loba had apparently dressed to kill. Specifically her very gay heart.</p><p>Why it very much could have been considered a 'casual' date outfit, something about it being on Loba made it absolutely stunning. Highwaisted shorts, a fitted noodle strap tank-top, dark stockings, cute heeled boots and several gold bangles around her wrists with a single gold chain around her neck. She forewent her usual red eye makeup for gold eyeliner and a subtle lipstick. And all in all, something that had Anita's heart hammering away and her cheeks lighting up.</p><p>"What do you think?" Loba said, spinning in the last few steps between her and Anita.</p><p>"Wow," Anita breathed.</p><p>"Good?" Loba asked, taking one of Anita's arms and leaning into her just a little, enough that Anita got the  soft flora perfume off her neck.</p><p>"Perfect," Anita managed.</p><p>"Stop it," Loba teased before slowly dragging her eyes up and down Anita's form, smiling softly. "Hmm, you're the one that looks good, baby."</p><p>"I uh... just threw this on," Anita said.</p><p>"I love it," Loba smiled.</p><p>"It's just a t-shirt and jeans..."</p><p>Loba hummed, before dragging one of her hands up the arm of Anita's that she still had, going until she hit where the sleeve of Anita's t-shirt was on her bicep. Or, really, strained around her bicep, she had apparently put on a chunk of muscle mass since she had worn this particular t-shirt and now the material stretched around her arm. Loba hummed again, running a thumb along the edge of the sleeve before looking up and given Anita a playful smirk.</p><p>"I love it," She repeated, before tugging Anita along into the bar while Anita felt her ears go hot.</p><p>Inside, they picked a booth away from everyone, Anita taking a side and then grinning when Loba picked that side as well, sliding in and sitting close enough for their hips to be squished together before once again taking one of her arms and losing holding it close to her. She fluttered her eyelashes when she saw that she had Anita's gaze, grinning when Anita snorted with laughter.</p><p>"So, still nervous about our date?" Loba smiled.</p><p>"Maybe not as much anymore, I got a great gal on my arm," Anita smiled back.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Gibraltar/Crypto, mlm fluff</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Crypto/Gibraltar, mlm fluff, mentioned surgery</p><p>gibto and body exploration</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Can I touch these?"</p><p>"Yeah."</p><p>Carefully, Gibraltar lifted his hands and gently cupped Crypto's face, thumbing at his cheeks for a moment, gently rub the skin as Crypto looked down to avoid eye contact with him even if he was sitting in the big man's lap. And then carefully, Gibraltar lifted his fingers to gently touch the metal around Crypto's eyes, the facial implants that warped the perception of him in the eyes of cameras and other digital devices. Gibraltar gently touched those, just casually grazing his fingers along them. Thankfully they were warm and had good enough tech to rely on Crypto's body heat so he did not need to worry too much about cold.</p><p>Then Gibraltar's fingers drifted down, over the metal covering Crypto's jaw, gently running over the thin and flexible metal there, to allow mostly the full movement there, so Crypto could turn his head and bend and twist his neck like he could without it. He gently thumbed at the metal, feeling where it met skin, the patches of his exposed neck between the metal to allow him to full ability to tilt his head down. Crypto did not miss how Gibraltar's fingers lingered over there the visible bolts were at his collarbone, did not miss the slight frown there, but opted to not say anything.</p><p>"... Does... do they hurt?" Gibraltar settled on.</p><p>"No. I was under for the surgery too," Crypto said quietly. He did not miss the sad and worried dip in Gibraltar's mouth.</p><p>"Hey... can I touch your tattoos?" Crypto asked, trying to draw Gibraltar's attention away from him, reaching out and thumbing at a little bit that peaked out from the collar of Gibraltar's t-shirt collar.</p><p>"Okay."</p><p>Gibraltar gently tugged his t-shirt off, letting Crypto see the expanse of his chest and arms and the ink that beautifully decorated them. He hummed quietly, picking one on Gibraltar's shoulder and following the pattern, following the dark ink on dark skin, following that one to another down to Gibraltar's bicep. Gibraltar lifted his arm for Crypto's convenience, watching Crypto's fingers gently and slowly and reverently drag along his skin to follow the beautiful ink in his skin, all the way to his wrist before going back up to follow the ink on his upper chest and pectorals. Following the patterns with slow reverence.</p><p>Crypto's fingers paused at the base of Gibraltar's throat, thumbing the hollow gently, before finally lifting his eyes to meet Gibraltar's.</p><p>"... Thank you."</p><p>"What for, Tae?" Gibraltar asked.</p><p>"Trusting me... and just..." Crypto fumbled with his words, deciding to just give Gibraltar's forehead a kiss. Gibraltar cracked a smiling, slipping his arms around hugging him close. "Love you."</p><p>"Love you too, Tae."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Revenant/Pathfinder fluff</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Revenant/Pathfinder, fluff</p><p>Revenant and Pathfinder contemplate things</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"I wonder if I met you when I was still flesh and blood."</p><p>He was not as cynical way back when, not nearly as depressed or filled with hatred, rage and turmoil and every other nasty thing that had grown in the coding of his mind over the past three hundred years and only seemed to grow more and more like mold since he had 'woken up'. He was cocky and headstrong and confident.</p><p>"Would you have liked me even still back then?"</p><p>He absolutely would have been endeared by Pathfinder. He would have thought Pathfinder cute in his boundless enthusiasm and joy, his headstrong nature to find his creator. But also this complete willingness to join a bloodsport to become famous to find them. Sugar and spice, roses and thorns. He would have fallen fast and hard for Pathfinder way back then. Pathfinder seemed so simple, but give him half a second and he would get your gears turning about what made him tick. A younger, more curious and generally more prone to whimsy and romanticism him would have absolutely gone down that delightful rabbit hole in record time.</p><p>"Yeah... you're an interesting bot, Pathy."</p><p>"Heh."</p><p>Revenant turned his head to look at Pathfinder, looking up at the night sky on the warehouse where Revenant hid during games and when he was not body hopping. The lights of Solace shined around them, and Pathfinder's screen that read a smiling emoji as he looked up at the night sky. You could almost make out the stars here, specks of flickering lights against the sea of black, blue and purple. His optic glowed a faint golden color in the light.</p><p>"I wonder if I would have liked you back then," Pathfinder mused.</p><p>"Probably not. I'm an asshole now, but I was an insufferably cocky asshole back then," Revenant said, turning to look back up at the night sky.</p><p>"Hmm... I would have liked you, I think," Pathfinder said.</p><p>"Oh?"</p><p>"Because it was you! And I like you Revenant!"</p><p>Revenant just chuckled. Damn, Pathy was so damn cute sometimes. Just had a way of worming under your skin and making you like him. And Revenant... Revenant really, really liked Pathfinder.</p><p>"But I don't think I was active all the way back then," Pathfinder said. "I hope not anyway, that means I wouldn't be able to find my creator, of their kids, or even their kids. But that's okay! I know they're alive now, and that means I met the now-you! And we're friends now! I like being alive right now. Right here with you."</p><p>Revenant looked over and saw Pathfinder looking over at him. It seemed he meant to be friendly, but that telltale screen of his was a heart eyed emoji and flashing pink and red. So damn cute.</p><p>"I like being here right now with you too, Pathy," Revenant chuckled.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Gibraltar/Crypto, mlm fluff</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Gibraltar/Crypto, mlm fluff</p><p>Gibraltar takes Crypto home to meet his parents</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Hey mom!"</p><p>"Baby boy!"</p><p>"Guess who I brought with me?" Gibraltar grinned, still obscured by his long and dark rain coat and the heavy downpour as he gingerly stepped onto the porch and out of it.</p><p>"It better that boyfriend I keep hearing about," His mom grinned, looking down to see two pairs of feet underneath the heavy coat.</p><p>"Yep!" Gibraltar grinned, tipping his head back for the heavy plastic material of his coat to falling, gingerly opening his rain coat where he was holding it close to make room for Crypto, who blinked in the sudden but dim light of the porch and then to his mom, who just beamed at the sight of him. "Mom, this is Cry. Cry, this is the most wonderful, amazing lady in the world."</p><p>"Good evening," Crypto said, giving her a polite bow in greeting.</p><p>"Nice to finally meet you! My baby boy hardly ever stops talking about," His mom beamed.</p><p>Crypto flushed at that, looking down at his wet boots while he just grinned at the sight of his cutely flustered boyfriend.</p><p>"Can we come in?"</p><p>"Everything wet stays by the door!"</p><p>They both stepped out of their soaked shoes and the heavy rain coat, setting those aside to be taken care of later, before stepping further into the house and into the living room, seeing his dad on the couch. His fake arm had been taken off for the day to give his shoulder a break.</p><p>"Hey dad," Gibraltar grinned, going over to hug his dad from behind at his chair so that his old man would not have to get up.</p><p>"Hey! You two make it through the storm okay?" His dad grinned, reaching behind to hug him as best he could.</p><p>"We're a bit water logged but we made it!"</p><p>His mom insisted that they sit down to warm up a bit, disappearing for a moment and letting Crypto press himself hip to him with him and tucking himself up against his side. When his mom came back, she draped the blanket she had gotten from the closet around the two of them. If they were still cold in a bit, Gibraltar was sure that a shower before bed would warm them right up, the storm had made them fashionably late so it would not be too far off.</p><p>"Ready to catch us up?" His dad asked.</p><p>"Yep!"</p><p>Gibraltar rattled off what had happened since he saw them last. Sometimes he looked to his side to watch Crypto, who looked like he was slowly but surely relaxing. Despite Crypto's worry, despite his reservations, Gibraltar was sure in that Crypto would survive meeting his folks in an official 'I'm the boyfriend' capacity just fine. He was already doing great and Gibraltar knew that this weekend would be amazing. He just kind of hoped that his mom and dad would not crack any 'when's the wedding' jokes while they here.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Revenant/Pathfinder</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Revenant/Pathfinder, fluff, mild robot body horror (flowers growing in Revenant's body)</p><p>Adorned in white</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"You're pretty!"</p><p>"Pretty."</p><p>Revenant had gotten knocked out of one shell and found himself in one that was... not like his other shells. When Loba had destroyed the one facility, his options had started to come from far fetched and scattered shells that were still plugged into structurally destroyed but electronically still sound facilities. He woke up a few times in the underwater facility a few times. A few others he had woken up in rusted buildings. A few he woke up in a building that was half buried in a mudslide, that one he unplugged the shells still there because he was peeved at the idea of waking up and having to dig to the surface.</p><p>Today, Revenant had woken up in a building that had apparently suffered an earthquake at some point because everything was destroyed and half buried in dirt. The shell that he had hopped into was no different. Not only that, but plant life had wormed its way inside of this shell as well and several flowers now blossomed from between openings in Revenant's body or where they had wriggled and writhed and punched through thinner material with years of steady patience.</p><p>"You're always pretty, but you're really pretty like this, Rev," Pathfinder said.</p><p>Revenant grunted as Pathfinder began gently working on unearthing Revenant.</p><p>He had realized soon after waking and after realizing that he was a literal flowerbed, that two thick rooks had made hope in his right elbow and his left knee and without the usage of his arm and leg, it had proven impossible to get free. Finally he had called someone he trusted to get him out, Pathfinder. And that was how Pathfinder had found him, flowers growing from his shell in bursts of radiant white.</p><p>The first thing that went first was the dirt half burying him, Pathfinder steady undigging him and he undigging himself when his left arm was freed enough to move. Together they got the thick roots free from his limbs.</p><p>"What should we do about them?" Pathfinder asked when Revenant stood and realized that the flowers were not part of the dirt that had buried him, but dirt that had managed to get inside of him over however long the shell had been laying there.</p><p>"Take them out. I need to scrub the fuck out of this shell," Revenant said. "Hope I'll still be 'pretty' not adorned in white."</p><p>"You'll always be pretty to me, Rev," Pathfinder said quietly, assuredly. Not the happy, bouncy tone that he usually used. No, this was a stubborn and unarguable tone and the sureness that Pathfinder was in Revenant being 'pretty' well... Revenant had no skin to blush.</p><p>"Well... I think we can save a few and put them into your greenhouse, remember this fondly," Revenant said.</p><p>Pathfinder found a bucket in the rubble of the long destroyed building and packed some dirt into it, and together they gently worked some of the flowers loose from Revenant's shell and placed them in and then put dirt around them. With the flowers ready to go, Revenant took out the ones that they could not save, laying them gently on the ground where he had woken up, before stepping away to vigorously shake the what dirt and such loose from his shell that he could. Then with Pathfinder and the pot of white flowers, they started heading towards where Revenant knew was a power washer that they could use to get the rest of the junk out of his shell.</p><p>"... I think you're pretty too, Pathy."</p><p>Pathfinder did not respond, but his screen lit up with a bright heart eyed emoji.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Lifeline/Wattson/Rampart</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Lifeline/Rampart/Wattson, wlw polyam fluff</p><p>My polyam ass needed an ot3(+) ship so I'm testing the waters</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"No, no, you need to dive off the edge here, you skip half the race course."</p><p>"Ramy, I'll fall off into the fuckin' void if I do."</p><p>"But if you land it, you're be in first!" Ramya grinned.</p><p>Natalie, who did not enjoy Mario Kart but especially not Rainbow Road with its overstimulating colors and noises, just hummed as her girlfriends played, looking at a notebook of notes as she laid on the couch that Ajay and Ramya was leaned against. They had the TV turned down so that it was not too much, but she was still opting to not look at the dizzying colors, just listening to her girlfriends banter back and forth as they played.</p><p>"Oh I'm gonna get into first, ya wait and see," Ajay grinned.</p><p>"No way, I'm gonna get it!" Ramya said.</p><p>"Whatcha gonna win, baby, huh?"</p><p>Ramya turned from the game, managing to keep on track, as she twisted around to look at Natalie, reaching out and gently tapping her hip. Natalie turned to look at her.</p><p>"Can I get a kiss if I win?"</p><p>"Sure," Natalie giggled.</p><p>"Heck yes," Ramya grinned as she turned back to the screen.</p><p>The two went at it rather intensely, usually being neck and neck despite Ramya often doing her course jumping. Eventually, however, Ramya did a course jump and missed and had to be fished out of the staryy void of the course while Ajay raced over the finish line, finishing first and throwing her arms up in victory. Ramya groaned, huffing with no real heat, as Ajay turned on her butt and got a quick kiss from Natalie. But, seeing Ramya pouting cutely, they both decided to give her a second place prize and both gave her a kiss on her cheeks, making Ramya grin near ear to ear.</p><p>"Okay, best two out of three?" Ramya beamed.</p><p>"Ya on, baby," Ajay grinned back.</p><p>Natalie just giggled as she watched her girlfriends be cute and have fun.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Bloodhound/Mirage, nblm fluff</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Bloodhound/Mirage, nblm fluff, fawning</p><p>Bloodhound fawns over Mirage</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Elliot was fresh out of the shower and it was KILLING Bloodhound.</p><p>Over dramatic, absolutely. It was one hundred percent how achingly in love with Elliot that every little thing that he did just set their heart hammering away and a soft blush overcoming their scarred cheeks. And it was absolutely foolish but they were a fool in love and loving every second of it. Because they were in love with Elliot and he was in love with them back.</p><p>Back to the issue at hand... Elliot was fresh out of the shower and Bloodhound was marveling at their handsome boyfriend. Dark curls wet with the water and laying heavily against his one temple and cheek and dripping water beads down the side of his face. He wore a tank top and still stuck slightly to his skin with the slight moisture still there. The dusting of freckles and scars along his shoulders, collarbone and arms were on full display and all for their viewing eye. He also wore a pair of baggy sleeping pants. But their eyes were drawn to his face, his achingly handsome face.</p><p>Water still clung to his eyebrows, making them darker and sometimes sending a long droplet of water streaming down his face. His handsome cheeks with that dashing set of scars, had a soft healthy red glow from the heat of the shower water and gave his face such a lovely flush to it. His eyes were downcast as he looked at his phone, reading something obviously by how long his eyes were lingering and his thumb doing that thing were it idly scratch at a nick in the case when he was taking a moment to read something, eyelashes obscuring his eyes in dark fans. The screen lit up the freckles along his handsome nose and cheeks. His lips were parted slightly, also slightly flushed with the heat of the shower.</p><p>They threw up a quick prayer to the Allfather for Elliot's sheer existence because a man as handsome as Elliot was surely a blessing handcrafted by the gods and that Bloodhound could worship this blessing firsthand was also a blessing. The Allfather was so kind to them for delivering Elliot into their life, looks and personality, though it was no harm to fawn over Elliot's looks.</p><p>"Coming to bed, elskan?" They asked, wishing so badly to kiss that handsome face until it really was flushed.</p><p>"... Hmm? Oh! Yeah, coming baby," Elliot said, eyes opening as he just shut off the screen to his phone and came over, putting his phone on the bedside table and slipping in next to them. Then that handsome, handsome man was right there and they took no extra time in pressing soft, worshiping kisses to his handsome face and getting Elliot to grin and blush brightly. "You're in a lovey mood."</p><p>"I always am with you, sæti," They crooned sweetly, kissing his still damp brow. "Ah, ég elska þig, ástin mín."</p><p>"Jokes on you, I've been learning Icelandic!"</p><p>"Oh?"</p><p>"Yeah and holy shit, baby," Elliot giggled, putting his hands to his face as he just giggled and blushed red clear to his ears.</p><p>Such a sight was completely irresistible to Bloodhound, who just pressed close against him underneath the covers and pressed kisses to his lovely hands until they fell away and they could gently and sweetly kiss his face. They kissed his face again, and again, and again, loving on this handsome man that they loved so much that their heart hammered each time they looked at him and every little thing that he did just made them fall in love with him more and more.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Loba/Bangalore</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Loba/Bangalore, wlw fluff, mentioned food</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"You're mine today, Annie, there's no escape."</p><p>"Okay," Anita said to her girlfriend, currently straddling her hips, still wearing her PJs and her hair sleep messy. </p><p>Anita had been reading from her tablet, news mostly, with Loba pretty much melted against her side and snoring away. Not long after Loba had snorted and woke herself up, Loba and looked at her, before donning a coy smile and then assuming their current position. Not sure why Loba was suddenly up and ready to torment Anita's gay heart so early in the morning, but she was loving it. And spending the entire day with her girlfriend was always nice, even more so that she was being playful about it.</p><p>"So... what had you planned today then?" Anita asked.</p><p>"Stay?" Loba asked softly, still smirking.</p><p>"Sure."</p><p>Loba quickly scampered up and out of the bedroom. Anita could hear her running around the apartment before settling in the kitchen for awhile. Figuring it would be a minute, Loba could cook no doubt but she was prone to being impatient and could lose focus easily, so Anita turned back to her tablet and started back on the article she had been reading. She got through it and then the basketball and football scores from the game last night, and then a few games of 'Words with Friends' with Elliot and Natalie, before Loba emerged once again. </p><p>During her cooking, Loba had apparently made a trip to raid the dryer for her comfortable at home tank top and short shorts, wearing an apron over them as she came in bearing the big lap tray for when they wanted to eat together in bed, setting it before Anita with a rather lovely breakfast spread. Loba made a show of taking off the apron and tossing it aside (landing in the hamper) before delicately sitting by Anita's side and fluttering her eyelashes at her.</p><p>"Very evil plan, keeping me inside by feeding me breakfast in bed," Anita grinned as Loba tucked herself into Anita's side and the two started picking morsels from the tray to start eating.</p><p>"I know, pure evil," Loba sighed playfully before grinning when Anita snorted. "Wait until you see the rest of the day. I plan to tackle those sore, broad, muscular shoulders later too with a nice deep massage."</p><p>Anita just grinned, leaning over to kiss Loba's smile wrinkled cheek.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Mirage/Bloodhound, nblm fluff</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Bloodhound/Mirage, nblm fluff, nightmares</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Bloodhound had nightmares. Who could blame them? At least if Elliot was sleeping next to them, he could be there to help them.</p><p>Usually the first sign that they were having a nightmare, was the immediately troubled breathing. The dry raspy sound that Elliot had likened to someone with pretty bad bronchitis or pneumonia or someone catching their breath after violently losing it. The struggling, gasping, dry breathes that could wake up Elliot from a dead sleep at this point, even his sleeping mind attuned to Bloodhound at this point.</p><p>He would a light on, a dull one. Usually he got his phone out and turned on the little light on it and aimed it up at the ceiling to give the room a dull glow that was not nearly as bright as the bedside lamp. Mostly so that when he got their eyes open, they were not blinded by the light and startled further.</p><p>When the light was on, Elliot would reach over and gently shake Bloodhound awake as they struggled to breathe next to him, face pinched in panic and dread even in a dead sleep. How their scarred lips pulled over their teeth, not like someone baring teeth because they were angry or trying to appear imposing, but more like agony was gripping them and a scream was trying to force itself out of its throat in slow motion. And he would gently shake them awake, until that look shattered and all that was left was exhausted confusion.</p><p>Bloodhound would rumble out his name in a dry, raspy voice, seeking him out. He would talk to them a little, get them coherent, tell them that he woke them up because he heard them having a nightmare again. They would always try to apologize for disturbing his rest and he would always shush them quietly, giving them a few light pecks on any skin that he could reach to further ground them.</p><p>Elliot would gauge their breathing next. If it had been really agitated by their labored breathing, he would insist that they sip some water before giving them a kiss and then helping them buckle on their respirator. If it was only sort of rough, he would sit with them until it settled down again before getting the small humidifier that he had taken to having in the bedroom to help Bloodhound sleep through the night. If it settled quickly enough, he would still sit with them a few moments to make sure it was calm before getting them that water.</p><p>After that, was gauging if Bloodhound could go back to sleep. If they could, he would press them close and just hold them until they nodded again. As far as Elliot had seen, they did not have nightmares after waking from one. If they were still rough, he would sit with them for while, sometimes just quietly holding them and petting their hair, sometimes talking about stupid and silly things, until they settled and they could go back to sleep again. If they were too worked up from their nightmare, they would insist on getting up. Elliot would let them, only with the promise that they would be fine after they calmed and that they would get him if they needed him. He knew too well to not argue with Bloodhound when they just need their space and a moment to calm their mind, give themself a moment to not feel to vulnerable and weak. They would never leave the room, as least as far as Elliot knew. They sometimes would lay in bed and just stare at the ceiling. Sometimes they would get up to light a candle on the other side of the room to read or work on something trivial with their hands. Sometimes they would just stare at him, mindlessly petting his hair until he fell back asleep himself.</p><p>All in all, Elliot had 'helping Bloodhound from a nightmare' down to a routine.</p><p>"Elliot," Bloodhound rasped weakly.</p><p>"I'm here, baby," Elliot murmured, giving them a light peck before getting their respirator on them, lovingly affixing it to their face as they clutched at their chest and wheezed softly. When it sat right, Elliot cupped the back of their head and guided them back to the pillow before slipping his hand over the one still grasping at their chest. "I've got you."</p><p>"You always do," They rasped as their breathing calmed.</p><p>"Yeah, cause I lovvveee you," Elliot grinned.</p><p>They left their chest alone, instead reaching up to cup his face and thumb his cheeks softly.</p><p>"Elskan... Elliot... I love you too, so much."</p><p>"I know," Elliot grinned, bending down to kiss their slightly clammy forehead.</p>
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<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Bloodhound/Mirage</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Bloodhound/Mirage, nblm fluff</p><p>Elliot plays the piano, Bloodhound is in love</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Elliot was going to be playing the piano.</p><p>Everyone was here at the Paradise Lounge tonight. All the usual patrons plus more and then the stars of the Apex Legends. Everyone was dressed in rather impressive wear. Tuxedos, suits, dresses, lowkey finery and glittering jewelry that glinted and shimmered in the low lights of the bar as they all watched the red velvet curtain currently hiding the stage where Bloodhound knew both the piano and Elliot was. Candles in small circular glass holders barely illuminated faces that were trying to hold a publicly polite impassiveness, but revealed bright and eager eyes.</p><p>Elliot had been eagerly chattering about his piano performance for a few weeks. He had been practicing diligently between games, enough so that sometimes Bloodhound would catch him tapping his fingers in familiar patterns when he was not really paying attention. If Bloodhound knew better how a piano worked or sounded, they might have been able to faintly hear the notes of the song that he was keeping from them. He would always give them a sly wink and coy smirk when they asked, telling them that it would be a surprise. And whenever they would huff and remind him that they did not enjoy surprises, he would give them a little kiss to 'tide them over' and assure them that they would like this one. They trusted Elliot that much at least, but they still very much wanted to know.</p><p>So now, wearing a tuxedo that they had rented from a shop in the city, donning their much needed respirator, plus a less tinted pair of goggles and a cowl to hide their features (much to the bane of their coworkers that had expressed hope in seeing some part of them at such an event), they sat in a table closer to the front as they eagerly waited their love and for his performance.</p><p>They did not have to wait long.</p><p>A light appeared and a young woman in a fitted red dress walked around the edge of the curtain with a microphone. She fiddled with it for a moment before gently tapping the head, causing a slight echo to ring around the room. Satisficed, she smiled prettily as she held the microphone to her mouth.</p><p>"Good evening one and all! Tonight we are proud to present the musical talent of our own resident Elliot Witt, or better known to some of you as Mirage, an Apex Legend. We're really excited folks, he's been hard at work to bring you this piece. So, without further ado, we present tonight's entertainment!"</p><p>The young woman quickly bustled away. The crowd murmured quietly as the lights hit the curtain, before it parted. Behind it, as Bloodhound had known, was Elliot as he sat at the piano. He bobbed his head to the crowd, making sure to throw Bloodhound a wink, before adjusting the musical sheets before him. He squinted at them to make sure he was at the right spot, flexed his hands and rolled his head and shoulders... before starting.</p><p>Bloodhound had heard him play the piano before, knew that he was talented. So it was no surprise the lovely notes that played before them. Something mellower than anything that belonged in a club, something sweeter. They quite enjoyed it.</p><p>And then he started singing.</p><p>Bloodhound went from lighthearted enjoyment to completely riveted attention and feeling their jaw drop as much as their respirator would allow as they listened to Elliot sing as he kept playing. They had completely missed the microphone by the keys, allowing him to sing without holding it and to avoid making the sound of the piano overpowering over his voice. His voice, that sang softly and sweetly of love and devotion and stalled the breath in their lungs like the scar tissue and winter bite had never done before. They were flabbergasted, stunned and... so achingly in love with this wonderful man that it made their heart squeeze sweetly painfully tight within their chest.</p><p>If they paid any heed to anyone but Elliot, they would have seen similarly stunning expressions from their coworkers. Many of them did not know that there was more to Elliot than 'Mirage', the face he put on for the crowds. To see him play the piano and sing so well was a shock and one that they kept soaking up with their own wide eyes and dropped jaws. Ajay, who had had an inkling that Elliot actually had musical talent and wanted to catch it with her phone, was now suddenly very glad to catch the performance digitally as she sat at her table with Wattson and held her phone trained on Elliot.</p><p>But they were not. Bloodhound was focused on Elliot as he sang and as his fingers danced and pattered along the ivory keys. As that song tinkled in the air, that song of love. It was then, with a shock, that they realized that given the romantic overtones of the song, that it was probably for them. They were suddenly very thankful for the forethought to hide their features as they blushed darkly behind their gear as they listened.</p><p>Thankfully for their love struck heart, the song did not last forever. The song teetered out and then there was a stunned silence that felt delicate. And it was, shattered by Bloodhound standing to their feet and clapping and quickly being followed by every person in the bar. Elliot beamed as people clapped, whistled and cheered. He stood to his feet, face flushed and eyes bright and eager, and gave the crowd a humbled bow, grinning broadly as people kept cheering for him.</p><p>When the cheering died down some, the young woman came out to announce some more people that would be playing the piano and or singing, allowing Elliot to nonchalantly go over to the edge of the stage and gently lower himself off of it. Bloodhound readily stepped forward, sweeping him up into their arms and hugging him close while he giggled.</p><p>"Hey! Guessin' you liked it," Elliot beamed.</p><p>"I loved it. Almost as much as I love you, elskan," Bloodhound chuckled.</p><p>"D'aww," Elliot grinned as he blushed.</p><p>Their coworkers wanted to quietly gush over him off to the side to allow the rest of the patrons to enjoy the rest of the performers. Bloodhound stood away for a moment, allowing them to quietly but excitedly speak about how amazing the performance was and how stunned and awed they all were by his talent. They smiled behind their respirator as he glowed underneath the attention, beaming with pride and flushed handsomely as well.</p><p>When they had a moment, they would gush over him properly as well, away from prying eyes. They would kiss his handsome face and his flushed cheeks, they would whisper sweet and honeyed words that would almost match the sweetness of his song, they would hold him tenderly and warm. They would love this man that they loved so much and hope they could show him as much love as hearing him sing and play that love song made them feel loved.</p>
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<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Revenant/Pathfinder</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Revenant/Pathfinder, fluff</p><p>I know you are, but what am I</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"You're cuddly!"</p><p>"Yep. Uh huh," Revenant muttered, nuzzling his head into the crook of Pathfinder's neck before settling in as he finally got the charging cable plugged into the crook inside his torso and his systems pinged as it registered that it was charging. He had been putting recharging off too long and what better way to get a nice, long recharge in than being cuddled up with Pathfinder. Revenant finished tucking himself up against Pathfinder's bulkier frame and settled comfortably. "Hush now, Pathy. Nap time, baby."</p><p>Pathfinder giggled. bumping his head against Revenant's affectionately.</p><p>"You're really, really cute when you're cuddly," Pathfinder chuckled.</p><p>"Legally speaking only one of us can be the cute one baby, and that's you all the way," Revenant said, offline-ing his optics with full intent on a nice, restful recharge.</p><p>"No way, that's you!"</p><p>"You literally emote," Revenant shot back. "You like to pretend that you don't, but I see you throwing that heart eyed one at me when you think I'm not looking."</p><p>Along with the one that was just hearts, the blushing one, and rainbows, but Revenant felt like the one got his point across.</p><p>"Well! I like you!" Pathfinder huffed.</p><p>"See? You're the cute one," Revenant hummed.</p><p>They fell into silence for a moment. Revenant listened to the hum of Pathfinder's systems as his mind slowly but surely shutting down to charge for the day. At one point, Revenant felt pathfinder's box like fingers rubbing along his chest plate, following lines and bullet marks and small nicks and scuffs. Revenant hummed underneath of the attention, further lulled. Pathfinder always knew how to make him feel safe and secure.</p><p>"Like a cat sleeping... so cute..."</p><p>"We can both be cute I guess," Revenant relented with a low chuckle, butting his head against Pathfinder's. "Now seriously, Pathy, I need to recharge. We can chat after."</p><p>"Okay~" Pathfinder teased. "Love you, Rev!"</p><p>"Love you too, baby."</p>
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<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Bloodhound/Mirage</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Bloodhound/Mirage, nblm fluff, food, mentioned alcohol</p><p>Mirage is trying to plan the perfect date night for him and Bloodhound... Bloodhound needs to stop flustering him by being in so much damn love with him</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The perfect evening...</p><p>"For the perfect lover," Elliot muttered to himself as he tossed the contents of the pan up into the air, the ingredients flying for a moment before landing and starting to sizzle once again.</p><p>Elliot had the absolute perfect date night planned for him and Bloodhound. Alone together on the Mirage Voyage as it cruised at a slow and steady pace over Kings Canyon (with permission because he was not repeating Bangalore angrily tapping her boot at him because had taken a cruise alone over the same route without permission while scouting it for said date night). He had the perfect dinner cooking away, Bloodhound favorites gussied up just a little and to be set on a fine china set with champagne and candles to be set out with the meal. Then they would sit together underneath the starry skies. And if they were in the mood, he had a few other things planned, but mostly it was the perfectly tailored setting, the perfectly done dinner and the absolute banger of a finisher, looking up at the stars with them.</p><p>Perfection...</p><p>He just had to finish dinner up and then they could start. Bloodhound was inside at the moment, if he looked up from the grill he could see them lounged on his couch just behind the glass. Sometimes he would watch them get up and walk around and look around, sometimes sitting down and fiddling with a long braid of black hair, but most of the time he looked up and caught them staring at him. And every time, without fail, if they caught his eyes, they would throw him that heart stopping smile of theirs and he would forget about everything... and then panic 'everything has to be perfect' brain would catch up and he would rush back to dinner.</p><p>Thankfully he was so intent on making everything perfect, that cooking went without a hitch. Then it was just a matter of setting up the table, lighting the candles and filling up two glasses before putting the bottle on ice in a bucket. He fiddled with half a dozen things to make everything sit right, before letting out a breath and running to toss the apron aside and fix himself up before fetching Bloodhound.</p><p>"Dinner is served," Elliot beamed.</p><p>"My, my, what a delectable dish you have brought me," Bloodhound grinned, stepping up him, putting scarred and calloused hands on his waist and tugging him flush against their body with a coy smirk that had Elliot turning seven shades of red.</p><p>"Baby, you're gonna kill me with your one liners," Elliot wheezed.</p><p>"I can't help it. The love of my life inspires so much in me. Words, actions, wit and cleverness," Bloodhound rumbled happily, leaning forward to give Elliot a kiss that had him weak in the knees and feeling his ears burning to the tips. When they pulled away, they were still close that their lips brushed Elliot's. "I love him too much to halt my words of adoration."</p><p>Elliot could have died a happy man on the spot and felt close to it with how hard his heart was hammering away behind his ribcage. BUT he had spent a rather lengthy bit of time on dinner and still wanted to spoil Bloodhound for an evening. So he took them out to the table, underneath the stars, and to their waiting table.</p><p>"This smells divine," Bloodhound said as they took their seat and Elliot took his.</p><p>"I hope you like it!"</p><p>"It was made by your hand Elliot, to make me not love every crumb would require poison, and even then it would be sweet," Bloodhound said.</p><p>Elliot about broke the damn champagne bottle. Holy shit Bloodhound was in mood and Elliot was pretty sure that he was not going to stop being red ANY time soon. He giggled embarrassedly, fumbling and finally opening the champagne bottle, quickly filling a glass for Bloodhound and then himself. Part of him wanted to immediately inhale it, but when Bloodhound pointedly held out their glass, he grinned and tapped his against theirs.</p><p>"To the love of my life, Blóðhundr!" Elliot beamed.</p><p>"And to the love of mine, Elliot Witt."</p><p>Elliot was pleased as punch to see Bloodhound loving every bite of their meal. The best compliment to a chief was a cleaned plate, and Bloodhound eagerly tucked down everything that Elliot had cooked. Thankfully with food being eaten, Elliot's poor love struck and full to bursting heart was spared for a moment. That did not stop Bloodhound from looking at him with such adoring eyes that he felt the back of his neck remain red hot through the meal, along with his face and ears. Did not help that he only had a shorter table, so Bloodhound easily brushed their foot along the length of his leg and made him jolt a few times. Which only got him a few throaty, deep and rumbly chuckles that made his blush worse.</p><p>When dinner was finished up, Elliot had something else. A decadent cheesecake that Elliot had scoured for a truly tasty recipe, making sure to get Bloodhound a hearty slice and watching as they took a bite into their mouth and sighed happily.</p><p>"You like it?"</p><p>"Almost as sweet as you are, Elliot."</p><p>Back to blushing, they enjoyed their sweet treat quietly until they were finished, Elliot quickly taking away the dishes before revealing his next activity of the night.</p><p>"Star gazing! I know you like that and I figured we got a pretty good view up here," Elliot said, laying out the blanket and pillows, taking a seat and patting the area next to him. Bloodhound readily took it, sitting and then scooting until their hips touched, grinning when Elliot blushed again, before they laid back and looked up at the stars. </p><p>And damn, what a view, unhindered by the glaring lights of the never sleeping city, Elliot could make out hundreds of thousands of specks of light across the dark night sky. Could even name a few constellations. He made a note to see if he could snatch some pics of it later to share with their friend group because wow... this was--</p><p>"Breathtaking."</p><p>"I know, right?" Elliot grinned, looking over to Bloodhound.</p><p>Who was not looking up at the sky. They were looking at him, again with those adoring eyes that immediately put heat to Elliot's face and set his heart hammering away behind his ribs because Bloodhound was looking at him with such adoration and love that he could almost feel the warmth of it. His heart was full to bursting because he loved this wonderful person next to him and this person made it glaringly clear and obviously that they felt the same way and loved him with every fiber of their being.</p><p>"T-the stars?" Elliot asked.</p><p>"No," Bloodhound said, twisting until they were on their side, one of those wonderful scarred and calloused hands cupping his jaw softly, lovingly, a scarred thumb brushing against his bottom lip slowly and reverently. "You are. You take my breath away. The stars? The stars have nothing on you. How brilliant and stunning you are, how wondrous and amazing you are, how my eyes only seem to find you. You are a gift, handmade and hand given to this world by the gods, surely, because no one else could have made such a wonderful man. No one could bless me with such happiness."</p><p>Elliot had absolutely no words. And to be quite honest he was on the verge of the happiest tears of his life. So, instead, he turned on his side and pulled Bloodhound (who was grinning) into a kiss to lovingly shut them up to give his damn heart a break and to kiss that smug look off their face as they cupped his face and brought him closer to deepen it. </p><p>Underneath the stars, after the perfect night, with the perfect lover.</p>
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<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Gibraltar/Crypto</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Gibraltar/Crypto, mlm fluff, domestic/fix-it au, brief happy crying</p><p>Everything has worked out... and then gets better.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"You need to stretch more, Tae, being stiff like this isn't good for your health," Gibby grinned as he watched Crypto struggle to do some of the basic stretches.</p><p>As... as Tae Joon did some basic stretches. Because he was Tae Joon again. It was still hard getting used to being himself again. Crypto had become him because he had sunk so deeply into the identity to hide, to protect himself, because he was afraid and humans did very weird things to stop being afraid or at least get comfortable with the fear. But Crypto was dead and Tae Joon Park was alive once again and he needed to get comfortable being unafraid again.</p><p>And part of unlearning fear, was getting a normal life. Part of said normal life was just casually hanging out with the boyfriend that he had managed to get while he was still Crypto. Maybe it was the depression, PTSD and general trauma talking, but Tae Joon till wondered how the hell he managed to get Gibraltar of all people. He was not going to question it now they were together, had been for about two year at this point and living together for a full year, but sometimes he still wondered.</p><p>"Hey, easy now Tae, relax," Makoa smiled at him, scooting over face Cr-- Tae. He was just wearing a tank top and sweatpants, same as Tae.</p><p>"Easy for you to say, Gibby. You're beefier than me, how are you so flexible?" Tae groaned as he sat up, tired of bending side to side at the waist to stretch.</p><p>"Gotta stay flexible. It's healthy!" Makoa grinned at him. "Can't save no one if you're stiff as a board, like some people I know."</p><p>His getting his life together meant a rather hard gutting of the Apex games when it came to light that certain higher ups were setting up certain people to win to bank on bets and wagers. That meant that most everyone he knew was out of a job, at least for the time being. Thankfully though, no one was bent out of shape over it, especially once the truth came to light. And from what he understood that, much like Gibraltar, that most everyone had something to fall back on or was happy for the sudden time off. Bangalore was happy for the new job at SARAS, from what Tae heard from Gibby's work gossip, and sometimes Tae heard through the grapevine what everyone else was doing. He still got pics of Pup from Bloodhound and Elliot from time to time.</p><p>"Hmm..."</p><p>Makoa bent over and kissed his cheek, drawing him from his slightly sour thoughts and humming happily.</p><p>"Let's take a break."</p><p>"Okay."</p><p>Makoa stood and walked out of the room. Tae stood up and stretched his loose and rubby muscles before sluggishly walking into the living room and taking a seat on the couch. His phone was on the coffee table, when he scooped it up, he saw his sister had sent him a few texts. She wanted to come over and have dinner with them. He sent her a few texts back, saying he would check to see if Makoa wanted to do anything special, otherwise he would see her there.</p><p>'has he asked you yet????'</p><p>'asked me what?'</p><p>':OOOO'</p><p>Frowning at his phone, Tae put it down to look up at Makoa as he came back into the room, taking a seat next to him. He eagerly tucked himself up against Makoa's side, Makoa's arm wrapping around him and further drawing him closer.</p><p>"Mila wants to come over for dinner, are we doing anything special?" He asked, gesturing vaugely with his phone in his hand.</p><p>"Yep! Tell her she can come over tomorrow," Makoa grinned.</p><p>"Wait, we are? What are we doing and why?" Tae asked.</p><p>"If you will allow me to grab the thing in my pocket..."</p><p>Tae watched Makoa dig a small box out of his sweatpants pocket. Tae looked at it for a moment before realizing it was a ring box. Why would... <i>wait, waIT.</i></p><p>Makoa nonchalantly opened the box, taking the simple gold band from box, before turning his head to press a kiss to Tae's stunned head, as he scooped up the right hand and slipped the band on it.</p><p>"Yeah? You and me? Wouldn't want to spend it with any other man in the world, Tae," Makoa beamed as Tae sat there in complete and utter shock because that was absolutely a goddamn wedding band on his hand. That was absolutely a wedding band on his hand and Makoa was absolutely asking him that question. And for years, Tae had killed all his 'normal' dreams like owning a house and having a great job and getting a spouse and just having a normal life and now... now it was happening.</p><p>"I... Gibby... me?"</p><p>"Yeah you! I love you!"</p><p>Tae only had a brief moment of thinking 'Mila fucking knew' and 'he loved his brat sister so much' before he threw himself into a kiss with a grinning Makoa, who pulled him in close and tight against his body.</p><p>"That a yes?" Makoa grinned when they could part.</p><p>"Yeah, yeah," Tae sniffled, quickly rubbing at his eyes. "Yes. Can't believe that you told Mila before me. Jeez."</p><p>"I needed a hype man! Also your ring size. But most the hype thing, I've been shaking all morning."</p><p>"Oh, poor Gibby."</p><p>They kissed sweetly again.</p><p>"... Who else knows."</p><p>"I told everyone to wait until after two to start blowing up your phone... sorry."</p><p>Tae snorted and kissed his soon to be husband's cheek sweetly.</p>
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<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Mirage/Bloodhound</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Mirage/Bloodhound, nblm fluff, religiously toned speaking</p><p>Take me to Church</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"My lover's got a humor, they're the giggle at a funeral, knows everybody's disapproval, I should have worshipped them sooner."</p><p>They swayed together, Elliot's hand at their waist and one of their hands in his. The lights were low and dark, outside was darker. Just after a game and most everyone was asleep on the slow ride home or quietly watching the two of them as they danced quietly and Elliot softly hummed some song as they swayed softly, quietly.</p><p>"If the Heavens ever did speak, they are the last true mouthpiece. Every Sunday's getting more bleak. A fresh poison each week. 'We were born sick,' you hear them say," Elliot hummed, eyes watching the lenses of their goggles as they swayed around. Not even their heavy boots made much of a sound as they danced while pressed close against one another.</p><p>"My church offers no absolution, they tell me 'worship in the bedroom'. The only heaven I'll be sent to, is when I'm alone with you."</p><p>It felt like they were alone, in this quiet and dark place. When they turned as they swayed, they could see their coworkers as they sat or laid slump in the aircraft seats. A few sat so still as they watched the two of them sway. Revenant watched from his seat, tucked up and arms angrily folded over his chest, but otherwise just silently watching. Pathfinder was also sitting and watching from his seat, his screen an unmoving smiling emote as he watched them. Crypto, slumped against Gibraltar, was hunched up in his large coat, but enough of his face could be seen that they could see that he was quietly watching them with a calm and peaceful expression.</p><p>"I was born sick, but I love it. Command me to be well. Amen, amen, amen."</p><p>Elliot leaned forward to rest his head on their shoulder carefully, still humming quietly as he pressed himself that one centimeter closer that he could.</p><p>"Take me to church. I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies. I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife. Offer me that deathless death. Good God, let me give you my life."</p><p>They let go of his hand to simply wrap both of their arms around his body and hold him close. Elliot's arms slipped around their waist and held onto them as well.</p><p>"If I'm a Pegan of the good times. My lover's the sunlight. To keep them on my side. They demand a sacrifice. To drain the whole sea. Get something shiny. Something meaty for the main course. That's a fine looking high horse. What you go in the stable? We've a lot of starving faithful. That looks tasty. That looks plenty. This is hungry work."</p><p>The ship lurched as it encountered a bit of turbulence, breaking the spell that was over them. The ones watching them jolted in their seats, startled by the sudden jerking. Bloodhound's boots stomped the ground as they fumbled and regained their footing, Elliot leaning into them for a moment to regain his own footing, before standing straight, pulling away to look at them. They laughed softly before pressing close against.</p><p>"So, you wish to worship me, yes?" Bloodhound chuckled.</p><p>"Every day, baby," Elliot chuckled.</p><p>"As I with you. The love you put into my heart is godly," Bloodhound chuckled.</p><p>"Geez, makin' me blush."</p><p>They just chuckled as they held their beloved close, swaying as they stood and the quietness took them over again.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Mirage/Bloodhound, nblm fluff</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Mirage/Bloodhound, nblm fluff</p><p>Bloodhound tries (and fails) to use Artur to woo Elliot</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"So like... am I being haunted? Ravens don't usually do this right? It's weird? I'm not crazy right?!" Elliot said.</p><p>Ajay looked at the small stash of shiny object currently sitting on Elliot's windowsill. A few pieces of tinfoil, a few pieces of colored glass, a few coins, and then a few pieces of jewelry that actually looked like they were worth something. All apparently left by a single, rather large corvid that Elliot had caught a number of times flying up to his window, tapping on the glass, dropping whatever it was carrying and flying off rather quickly.</p><p>"A raven leavin' ya shiny things doesn't seem... normal... no," Ajay muttered.</p><p>"Am I cursed? I'm totally haw-hun-- a ghost is totally on my ass, isn't it?" Elliot said as he looked at the pile.</p><p>"I don't think so... corvids are smart birds, Elliot. Ya been feedin' the birds or somethin'? Corvids usually like people that feed them..."</p><p>"I mean... sometimes if Artur isn't being a feathery dick, I give him blueberries," Elliot shrugged.</p><p>"Hmm... well, Elliot, baby... this is weird but I don't think ya need to worry too much now, huh?" Ajay said. "Shiny things on the windowsill doesn't seem too bad. Maybe you just made a very weird feathery friend, ya?"</p><p>"Sure... sure..."</p><p>Elliot decided to leave well enough alone, though he felt slightly annoyed by having to clean up the shiny bits that were really garbage and felt bad about the jewelry that was left that he tucked into a box and tried to forget about. But no matter what, that corvid just kept coming back with little presents, tapping at Elliot's window to get his attention and flying off before he could open the window to confront the odd creature.</p><p>He only made the connection between the corvid at his window and the corvid on Bloodhound's shoulder when he stopped to stare at Bloodhound one day while they were heading back to the ship. He had a crush, sue him, but his eyes found Artur and then he realized that Artur looked very... very... very familiar.</p><p>"Wait... Houndie, can I talk to you?"</p><p>Bloodhound turned around, tilting their head as their goggles bore into him. Artur cawed softly from their perch, tilting his head as Elliot got closer.</p><p>"Uh... um... I don't know how to say this, but Artur has been leaving stuff on my windowsill... any idea why?" Elliot awkwardly asked.</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>"Oh?" Elliot asked, feeling his eyebrows hitch. "H-how come?"</p><p>Bloodhound sighed, reaching over to sratch at Artur's chest, listening to Artur caw pleased like, before turning back to Elliot.</p><p>"I have failed to woo you by having Artur act in my stead."</p><p>"Oh that's ok-- woo?!" Elliot asked.</p><p>"Yes. Woo. I desire a relationship with you, Elliot Witt."</p><p>Elliot felt his brain short circuiting. Holy shit, Bloodhound? Him? Wooing? Holy fuck, mama Witt was going to lose her shit over this.</p><p>"My ways are strange, perhaps, and they obviously did not 'translate' well," Bloodhound mused, with a raspy chuckle that had Elliot's ears going hot.</p><p>"Uh well, ya c-could just do it the old fas-fus--fashioned way, Houndie," Elliot said, laughing nervously, putting his hands on his hips. "Like 'how about you, me and dinner at eight baby?'"</p><p>"Yes, I would like that."</p><p>Elliot was stunned once again.</p><p>"Sure!"</p><p>"I look forward to it," Bloodhound chuckled as they walked past him.</p><p>"I would like to thank God and mama Witt for Artur," Elliot giggled as he thought up plans for dinner with Bloodhound.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Mirage/Bloodhound, nblm fluff</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Bloodhound/Mirage, nblm fluff, flower shop/tattoo shop au, tattoos and needle mention</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Octane, please take over for me, please."</p><p>"No way, amigo, you get to deal with them," Octane grinned, sticking out his pierced tongue at Elliot. "Come on, man, this is a great chance to ask them out."</p><p>"Octane," Elliot whined, then quickly nipped in the bud as the person that he had been dreading gently pushed open the door, sending out a chime as the bell rung. Whimpering, Elliot quickly stood straight and then wobbled over to the counter. He gave the person a nervous customer service smile as they came up to the counter. "Hello and welcome to Apex Ink, how may I help you?"</p><p>He does not need to ask, he knows who this person is and what they want. Their name is Bloodhound and their the slightly intimidating but unfairly and unjustly hot and tattooed to hell flower shop owner that works down the street that Elliot sees on his way in and sometimes on his home if their shop had a busy day. Six foot two, muscular, tattooed arms marked with very Viking inspired, Scandinavian designs and simple solid bands, long and slightly wild black hair pulled up and partially out of their face by means of a clip at the back of their head. Dark and rick brown eyes that regarded Elliot warmly, as they had been the past week that they had been coming in to get some intricate design tattooed along the back of their shoulders.</p><p>"Hello Elliot, I am here for my three o clock appointment," Bloodhound smiled.</p><p>They had weird scars on their face, stuff that made it look like their skin had started to shatter like a mirror around the edges along with some weird bruise coloring that never seemed to go away. It just added to their rugged and mysterious charm that was making Elliot's problem worse.</p><p>"Sure thing, Hound buddy! Let's slide over to my che-ch-chair," Elliot grinned tightly, gesturing over to his chair.</p><p>Bloodhound, familiar at this point because their tattoo was taking a good chunk of time, walked over and casually pulled their t-shirt off before backwards straddling the chair and getting comfortable as Elliot got his ink and pen out and got his chair out. He licked his very dry lips, throwing a look at Octane, who was just grinning at Elliot squirming, before turning back to the expance of a scarred and muscular back and the tattoo that he had done, that he had inked into their skin, part way done along the back of their shoulders. His problem came rearing back again as he leaned against their, feeling the heat and solidness of their back underneath of his arm as he lightly rested his weight against their back to get steady.</p><p>His problem? Oh it was nothing other than he was head over heels in love with this person.</p><p>Something about this scarred, rugged and seemingly slightly scary person, who was really a nature lover and owned and operated a flower shop to put some color into the city and constantly had their mischievous but harmless raven on their shoulders. Who always spoke formally and polietely, happy to explain how to keep a plant alive, and Elliot once saw them frat style down a beer and then chuck an ax at a target at a party just... got to him in all the right ways. But mostly just that they were absolutely this chill as hell, talented and skilled as hell, but general overall sweetheart, just sent Elliot's little bi heart puttering away happily. Did not help that they were unjustly hot too.</p><p>"Taking good care of it so far," Elliot mumbled as he brushed his fingers along the unfinished tattoo so far. He quickly wiped the skin down before he did anything, rubbing against the skin briefly with a cloth. When the skin was clean, he took out the reference paper again. He had already done the outline, today was darkening the lines in some places and the start of the detail in the center.</p><p>"Já, it is a work of art," Bloodhound hummed casually.</p><p>Elliot stuttered and then laughed, feeling his ears heat as he put pen to skin and started to add more ink to the skin. It was an intricate pattern, one that sprawled the length of their broad shoulders, a little bit onto the base of their neck and down a little between the shoulder blades. It would be thoroughly stunning when it was done, and even now looked really good. Who ever got to touch all of it was one lucky person...</p><p>Elliot got the appointed amount of ink done, leaning back and looking over his work. Satisfied, he put his pen away and gently wiped away any lingering ink.</p><p>"Feh-fe-feeling good, Hound?" He asked.</p><p>"Já, tattoo do not bother me too much, and you are quite gentle," Bloodhound said, sitting up and throwing him a smile over their shoulder.</p><p>Elliot blushed again, despite himself, focusing on cleaning up his station real quick as they gingerly put their t-shirt back on before casually getting up and walking to the front counter. Where Octane was not, because at one point while Elliot was working, apparently Loba had come in for her appointment and the two were chatting it up casually as Loba showed him the designs of her new tattoo that she wanted and they hashed out details. It was just the two of them that day, so Elliot hurried up and walked up behind the counter to ring Bloodhound up for the session and schedule them in for the next one.</p><p>"Do you have time on Saturday evening, about seven o'clock?" Bloodhound asked.</p><p>"Nah, we're not open nights on the weekend, we got this policy about cutting down on drunks getting tattoos," Elliot said as he looked through the schedule book.</p><p>"I mean you 'you'," Bloodhound chuckled.</p><p>Elliot paused, and then looked up from the book at a smirking Bloodhound.</p><p>"Uh... me?"</p><p>"Yes, you."</p><p>"For?"</p><p>"A date."</p><p>"A da-de-- date?" Elliot stuttered out, embarrassment and nervousness making his stutter worse than usual.</p><p>"Yes. Date. I usually don't make habits of developing crushes on people who provide me services, but I quite like you, Elliot," Bloodhound said, smiling when he blushed ear to ear. "Cute, smart, funny, a gentleman and you have very talented hands. I would like to get to know you, Elliot. Would you honor me with dinner on Saturday night?"</p><p>"Yes!" Elliot sputtered out, before giggling nervously as Bloodhound just beamed at him. "Holy shit Houndie, just... wow."</p><p>"And don't you worry about it being weird that you're dating your tattoo artist, I'll finish ya up, Blood," Octane grinned as he walked behind Elliot to get some of the pencils they used to trace designs onto people's skin to get the artist started.</p><p>"Þakka þér fyrir," Bloodhound grinned at Octane before turning back to Elliot. They leaned on the counter into his space. "I shall see you Saturday, six thirsty sharp, in front of my shop, myndarlegur maður."</p><p>"O-o-oh-okay," Elliot breathed, feeling his face go very hot.</p><p>Bloodhound beamed again, before standing and walk out.</p><p>"Holy shit, Silva," Elliot breathed.</p><p>"Damn, you weren't kidding, that was cute," Loba chuckled to Octane. Elliot turned to give them a look, just making Loba and Octane laugh, not that Elliot could focus on that long. He had a date to day dream about.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0032"><h2>32. Mirage/Bloodhound</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Mirage/Bloodhound, nblm fluff, mentioned head injuries, temporary amnesia, mentioned medical drug usage</p><p>Mirage got his head cracked pretty hard and comes too not remembering a damned thing, thankfully he appears to have a damned good doctor looking over him and one mysterious strange that makes him feel safe</p><p>Inspired by https://archiveofourown.org/works/25128958<br/>And also that one video of a man coming out of surgery not remembering anything and fawning over his wife and losing it when she tells him they're married</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"So, is he dead?"</p><p>"Oh shut up, you're the reason he's like this to begin with."</p><p>"Not my fault he snuck up on me, and his goggles took the brunt of it."</p><p>He blinked awake, having to claw through the fog to finally start 'seeing' and 'understanding'. As he did, he started first noticing the dull and achy pain along the side of his skull. Also, that he was in a bed that currently had several people standing around him.</p><p>"Huh?" He slurred out.</p><p>"Out! Out! Out! He doesn't need all ya hooligans around him," One person said, shorter, slimmer, pink hair in cute buns. They waved their arms and ushered several people out through a door. One person, they stopped, a person that looked like a soldier had gotten lost in the woods and just decided to live there for a few decades. "Except ya, baby. He could probably use ya."</p><p>"Ja."</p><p>He blinked some more, brain caught on the fact that there were people here and now there was less, and also trying to kill the fog in his head. The pinked haired person came over, fretting over him and making himself aware of his body. He was wearing a thin hospital gown, underneath a thin blanket, he had an IV hooked up to his arm. When their hands came up to his head, he was aware of a thick and sturdy layer of bandages and that there was a focus point of the pain along the side of his skull that told him 'wound'.</p><p>"Hey there, Eli, are ya with me?" The person asked.</p><p>"Who?"</p><p>"Ya might be strugglin' ta think and that's okay. You had a nasty head wound," The person said.</p><p>"Who are... you?"</p><p>The person blinked, as though the question was a bit of a surprise, before the confusion faded away with professional speed and ease.</p><p>"Ajay."</p><p>Something told him that he should have know that name and this person, but there was just this thick fog that made thinking feel like walking through thick syrup.</p><p>"Do you know where you are, Eli?"</p><p>"No."</p><p>"Ya in the hospital, one of the Apex ones," Ajay said. "Ya startled Revenant and he took ya noggin and banged it against a wall. Ya goggles took the brunt of it, but it was still a hard crack."</p><p>He raised his hand to the bandages and Ajay quickly gathered his hand up and put it down on his stomach.</p><p>"Now dontcha go doing that, Eli. Listen to ya doctor when she says that your head wound better be left alone," Ajay said, gently patting his hand and putting it on his stomach to rest.</p><p>"Who's... Who's Eli?" He asked.</p><p>"You are... I guess that hit and the painkillers really did a number on ya, huh?" Ajay said, clearly sympathetic.</p><p>"Um... yeah... am I going to be alright?" He asked, some part of his mind able to focus on the fact that he had a head wound. That seemed serious, but it was so hard to think and his skull was full of cotton.</p><p>"Yes, ya just need to let the wound heal for now. Keep calm, ya in good hands," Ajay said soothingly. "Once ya start healin' and ya don't need the painkillers so much, the memories should come back."</p><p>"Um... okay... who are you?" He asked, turning to the person that Ajay had instructed to stay and had awkwardly stood by the door.</p><p>Part of him wanted to be intimidated. They were all geared up and looked like you could drop them in an wild forest with creatures from hell and they would come out with pelts for days and stories to tell and not a bead of sweat shed. But mostly his brain was begging them to come closer and suddenly drowning in seritonin at the fact that they were just... there. But what their name was, what they looked like underneath all that gear or who the hell they were was just... behind that damned fog.</p><p>"My name is Bloodhound," The person said.</p><p>"Ya don't remember them?" Ajay asked quietly.</p><p>"Feel like I should, but there's just... fog."</p><p>"That's okay, love," Ajay said before turning to look at Bloodhound and then back at him. "I need to go check on ya painkillers, I think we should change them. Would ya feel comfortable being left with Bloodhound? I promise they're a friend of ours."</p><p>"Um... sure... feel safe around them," He slurred out.</p><p>"Okay. Now, Blood, I'm gonna trust you with <i>gently</i> filling him in. Be kind, it's the wound and the painkillers," Ajay said, giving his hand a pat before standing and leaving.</p><p>Bloodhound stood there awkwardly for a moment, before deciding to take the unoccupied chair by the side of his bed and sit down. They reached up to fiddle with their helmet for a moment, before undoing a set of straps and latches and taking it off and then pulling the mask hiding their face off and down.</p><p>"Oh... wow..." He breathed.</p><p>The person was... hot. Like super hot. Black hair, all currently tied up into a tight braid that hugged against their skull and probably kept it manageable underneath their helmet. Angular and attractive features, though marked with strange crack like scars and some purplish bruise like coloring along the edges of their face. A damned good attempt to grow a beard through the scar tissue along their jaw. Also dark and intense eyes that, once they settled on his face, he could already feel a blush start to burn away at the skin of his cheeks.</p><p>"How are you feeling, Elliot?"</p><p>"... Am I Elliot?" He asked.</p><p>"Yes. Your name is Elliot Witt. You also go by your work name 'Mirage'," Bloodhound said.</p><p>That sounded right, felt right too. He nodded gently.</p><p>"Um... feel sleepy, slurry... funny..." He managed out. "You're Bloodhound."</p><p>"Ja. But you also know me as Blóðhundr."</p><p>That also seemed right. Also sparked some vague memories of watching this person, in full gear, running alongside or ahead of him, often with a gun in their hands. Sometimes their goggles glowed red. But he was never afraid for some reason.</p><p>But something started to nag at him. 'Tip of the iceberg' sort of deal. Sure, this person was Bloodhound and also Blóðhundr, but Elliot's mind was trying to think of other things that he knew them as? Had called them before? He did not know and it was so hard to think.</p><p>"Do I uh... this is gonna sound weird but... do I call you other names?" Elliot asked.</p><p>"... Yes, you do. You also usually refer to me as Hound or Houndie. You sometimes call me Blood or Bloth, those admittedly neither of us are fond of those. You, along with one or two other people, I have given permission to refer to me as 'Puppy'," Bloodhound explained.</p><p>"Puppy? That's so cute!" Elliot grinned.</p><p>"Yes, I thought so too... are there any questions you would like me to answer?" Bloodhound said softly.</p><p>"Um, yeah. Do I know Ajay?"</p><p>"Yes, we work with her. We are part of a fighting specter sport known as the Apex games. She is a félagi fighter, and also an exceptionally talented doctor. We are both lucky to know her. And yes, she is your friend. She cares and is worried about you."</p><p>"Who cracked my head open?"</p><p>"Revenant. He is an andskoti if we ever knew one. You managed to sneak up on him, but were too slow to take advantage of his surprise. He grabbed your head and smashed it against a nearby wall. Your goggles took the lethal brunt of it and were destroyed, but he still managed to hurt you. Trust me, next chance I get, I will slátra him."</p><p>"Who brought me in?"</p><p>"I did. I unfortunately was not fast enough to rush to your aid soon enough to prevent your injury, but according to Ajay, my rushing you here prevented complications if your injury had been left to get worse or linger."</p><p>"Thank you."</p><p>"None are needed, sæti."</p><p>"What's that word? Say-si-- um whatever you said?"</p><p>"It... it is Icelandic. It is the masculine form of 'sweetie', and is a form of endearment," Bloodhound said, sounding hesitant.</p><p>"Endearment? We're friends?" Elliot perked up. He knew this person, they made him happy by just being there and they liked him enough to call him 'sweetie' out of the blue? Man he was lucky to have such a great friend with him apparently. He wished he remembered them. They sure seemed familiar and Elliot's mind was nagging at him that he did know this person, but those memories were still trapped in the damned fog in his head.</p><p>"Yes, we are. Are you remembering something?"</p><p>"No, sorry."</p><p>"That is okay. Take your time and do not strain yourself. Head injuries are serious."</p><p>Elliot nodded, letting his head sink into the pillow behind him, blinking slowly for a moment as he tried to grasp at his foggy thoughts. He was remembering a few things, but they felt so trivial and even his apparently scrambled brain knew they were trivial. Still... unthinkingly, he reached out with his hand and grabbed Bloodhound's and twined their fingers together. It took a full two minutes to realize what he had done, mostly because Bloodhound did not say anything and because the motion felt so natural that even Elliot's throbbing head did not question it. But when he did realize, he jerked his hand back, startling Bloodhound.</p><p>"Shit, sorry, don't know why I did that," Elliot said, blushing in shame.</p><p>"You've held my hand before," Bloodhound said, looking at him funny. Like they were not quite sure how to hold their features.</p><p>Now Elliot was just confused. He knew this person, he knew this person enough to associate them with joy and happiness, he knew he found them attractive, he was on good enough terms with this person to have a pet name for them and them to freely call him 'sweetie' in what Elliot guessed was their native tongue. Now apparently, he had held their hand before and probably enough that the action felt familiar to him... oh shit, was he crushing on this person and never made a move?</p><p>He looked up at them, now looking at their hands and paying him no heed.</p><p>Well shit, he was going to do his remembering ass a favor then.</p><p>"So..." Elliot craned his head back a little to try and look relaxed and casual (and probably failing because he was in a hospital bed, in a hospital gown, in a bed with his head wrapped up tight). Bloodhound looked up at him, tilting their head. "Hey good lookin' what's cookin'?"</p><p>Bloodhound slow blinked in surprise for a moment, before a smile cracked their face and they started laughing. And they had such a great laugh too! A low and raspy sound that sounded like home to Elliot's ears and had him grinning. He got them to laugh! Some part of his mind was telling him that he had done it before, but it all felt new since he could not remember anything.</p><p>"You really do have a concussion," Bloodhound chuckled.</p><p>"What can I say? I fell too hard for you."</p><p>Bloodhound laughed louder, genuine and warm.</p><p>SEAL THE DEAL.</p><p>"So... you single?"</p><p>"No," Bloodhound said, still laughing.</p><p>"... oh."</p><p>Well, that put a hole in his mood right quick. No wonder he never sealed the deal with this one. Nice to know that he did not go after taken people, but shit...</p><p>Bloodhound seemed to notice his punctured mirth, quieting down themself. They looked him over for a second, before smiling warmly, leaning over to gently cup Elliot's face.</p><p>"Elskan, I'm not single because <i>we're</i> dating," Bloodhound chuckled.</p><p>"... Me?" Elliot squeaked out.</p><p>"Yes, you. You're my kærasti, my boyfriend. You're my ástin, my love. Ég elska þig," Bloodhound smiled.</p><p>Oh wow... he was dating this person? Holy shit, holy fuck... how did he get so lucky? He sighed and closed his eyes and just melted into the hands holding his face. Suddenly it was so easy to relax. He would have loved to grab their hands again, but he was feeling so tired all of a sudden. Way too much for his cracked head.</p><p>"Wow."</p><p>"You really are very concussed," Bloodhound chuckled, taking away their hands but scooting the chair closer. They carefully took one of Elliot's hands in theirs, smiling at him as he smiled at them.</p><p>"I guess... wow, you're hot, I scored the jackpot. How'd I get so lucky?"</p><p>"I ask myself that about you a lot," Bloodhound smiled at him.</p><p>"Aw jeez, hot and super in love with me too? I'm the luckiest man alive."</p><p>Bloodhound was still chuckling when Ajay walked back in.</p><p>"Good things?" Ajay asked.</p><p>"We have gotten around to us dating, he is being extra cute," Bloodhound chuckled fondly.</p><p>"Fallin' in love all over again?" Ajay grinned.</p><p>"Feels like it... do you know we're dating?" Elliot asked.</p><p>"Yes. Bloodhound told everyone."</p><p>"Oh my god, <i>you</i> told everyone?"</p><p>"Ja, I was quite happy, and still am."</p><p>His head would heal and he would remember again. For now, Elliot enjoyed falling in love with Bloodhound all over again and knowing that they would help him get better and watch over him and keep him safe.</p>
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<a name="section0033"><h2>33. Pathfinder/Revenant</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Revenant/Pathfinder, fluff</p><p>Just an idea that what if Rev was a simulacrum that looked more like Crypto's 'Hired Gun' skin where he's mostly metal but has a human face</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Move it, skin suits!"</p><p>Mirage frowned, glaring at the air ahead of him. Rampart, seeing this, just sighed and reached over to grab his shoulder and squeeze it reassuringly.</p><p>"Let it go..."</p><p>"No!" Mirage yelled, startling Rampart as he whiped around to fave Revenant. "You talk a lot of shit about us 'skin suits' for a guy with skin."</p><p>Revenant frowned. And you could tell that he was frowning because his body, though mostly metal, had realistic silicone skin over a intricately articulated face that gave the man a wide range of facial expressions (though he was rarely seen doing anything but scowling) and he even had a stylish blonde undercut because whoever made Revenant's simulacrum body really went all out to make him look decently human.  Of course that was only about the face and neck before everything else was metal. His hands also had flesh tone metal plates that could be excused as fancy prosthetics on normal people.</p><p>"It's not 'skin'," Revenant said, scoffing at the audacity. His eyes were very much not human, just yellow optics that regarded Mirage coldly. "Also there's a big difference between you and me, skin suit."</p><p>"Yeah?"</p><p>"I make this 'skin' shit look good," Revenant said, waving off Mirage as he walked ahead of the group. Mirage looked steamed as Rampart just patted his back and urged him once again to let it go.</p><p>Despite the tension in the team, they managed to make it to the end together, though the second they all could they went their separate ways. Not that it bothered Revenant too much, sure he had the face of a skin suit, but he sure as hell did not need to be friends with any of them. No, he was just fine all on own. He was his own best company.</p><p>"Friend Revenant!"</p><p>Well, almost all by himself. He did like <i>one</i> person. But he sure as shit was not a skin suit, and unlike the skin suits, he was actually cute and tolerable. So, with a coy smile, Revenant turned to meet Pathfinder rushing up to meet him. That bright yellow smiling emote was on his screen and that bright optic looking at only him. He kept smiling as Pathfinder finally made it to him, bouncing on his feet just a little.</p><p>"Hello, Pathy," Revenant chuckled softly.</p><p>"You did well today. I almost had you at the end!" Pathfinder said excitedly.</p><p>"You did, Pathy. Close but no cigar, baby," Revenant said before reaching up to use his index finger to lightly lift Pathfinder's head. The emote on his screen changed to a surprised emote and then to a blushing one, but his optic never straying away. Pathfinder was always this weird mix between between confident and easy to fluster.</p><p>"I will get you next time, friend Revenant," Pathfinder said firmly.</p><p>"Hmm, maybe you will, maybe you won't baby. But you did place second today, want your prize?"</p><p>"I get a prize for coming second?"</p><p>"Yep."</p><p>Revenant hated skin suits and honestly did not care much for the fake skin of his human-like face. But there was a pleasant sort of novelty in having lips capable of kissing. There was a certain novelty and delight in kissing Pathfinder's cute optic and cute head and watching Pathfinder's screen pulse pink as his screen lit up with a heart eyed emoji. So, he would keep this fake skin shit for a bit yet and he would keep kissing Pathfinder's cute self.</p>
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<a name="section0034"><h2>34. No Pairings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: budding Octane/M!OC, mentioned canon typical violence, fictional/fantasy elements</p><p>Fleshing out an Apex OC</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"This is the new fighter, K.A.M."</p><p>Normally, Octane hardly payed attention to the new people. The Apex games tended to rotate through people playing rather fast, kinda had too since it was a bloodsport, so Octane's already shotty memory eased its own burden by not remembering someone unless they lasted at least two seasons and even then it was usually just their face. So as the big badass big game hunter introduced the new person, he did not pay attention, just tried to reach the new level in his handheld game.</p><p>"K.A.M?" Mirage asked.</p><p>"Knockout Agent Morpheus is my designation, K.A.M is the shorthand."</p><p>Designation? That warranted Octane to look up, seeing someone that was about as geared up as Bloodhound. Taller though, slightly slimmer, all black, with a cool ass hood over their head that hung as low as a pair of rather thick goggles would allow. Given the light of the room though, Octane could see a face covering, dark as the rest of their gear. Octane could make out the shape of lips behind the covering though... weird.</p><p>"So... can we call you Morpheus?"</p><p>"I suppose." The shape of the lips behind the covering did not change, they did not move.</p><p>"No! I got it, let's call him Kam!" Mirage beamed.</p><p>"I suppose that also works."</p><p>Mirage beamed.</p><p>"So... you a bot, amigo?" Octane asked.</p><p>"I am a simulacrum," Kam said plainly.</p><p>"Ooh, so like senor loincloth over there?" Octane said, jerking a thumb towards Revenant, hanging in back.</p><p>"Ain't no one like me," Revenant rumbled. "But it is nice that we finally got someone that isn't a skin suit."</p><p>Octane lost interest shortly after that. People had all sorts of questions for Kam. Kam spoke plainly, briefly, bluntly and to the point. All of it was just noise that tried its hardest to put Octane to fucking sleep, so he went back to his game with far less boring with its flashy colors and interesting noises that kept him entertained. He had pretty much forgotten Kam and when he looked up, Kam was gone and that did not help his memory, so he put his game away and went to go to sleep in his apartment.</p><p>Kam sure as shit made sure that Octane remembered him next time though. Because the next game, Kam was on an enemy team.</p><p>Octane was with chica and Gibby, having a grand old time. Well, as good as he could with Ajay yelling at him to look after himself, 'Don't jump so high, Silva!', 'Don't rush into combat without us, Silva!', 'Stop stealing the loot before we can even get there, Silva!'. He loved her like a sister, but she needed to chill before she shot her blood pressure. Learn to have some fun and relax. Octane pondered if asking her to get drinks after the game.</p><p>And then, he saw him.</p><p>They were advancing towards the train, looking for better guns as it got later and later in the game and the need to shoot through tougher and tough shields became more common. They arrived on platform and were agreed to to jump onto the train to get some manner of safe looting done before hopping off to hunt down the other teams. It was while they were waiting for the train to make a circuit that Ajay happened to turn and saw him.</p><p>All dressed in black, black hood pulled down as far as a bulky pair of goggles would allow, a gun in his hands and Mirage and Bloodhound on his trail as he came at them. Ajay yelled a warning, getting them all to turn around and face him. In time to see the dark tinted goggles suddenly go crystal clear and reveal the eyes underneath and--</p><p>Octane did not understand. Not that they were weird or anything, but like his brain just completely and utterly failed to understand what he was looking at.</p><p>"<b>Go. To. Sleep.</b>"</p><p>Then Octane started to feel very numb, like he was beyond the point of exhaustion and to the point that his body was physically suffering the acute effects of sleeplessness. His face was numb, his limbs were numb, he fumbled on his feet to just stand straight as the team advanced on them. Ajay and Gibby were the same too, looking stunned and suddenly like they were too exhausted to see straight, let alone strand straight.</p><p>Then the guns were barking and Octane found himself on the ship. Ajay and Gibby were there too and obviously reeling as well.</p><p>"Holy shit... new guy is something else," Octane breathed.</p><hr/><p>"Are you alright?"</p><p>"Me? Yeah! No worries new guy."</p><p>Kam just stood there, looking like a cross between a fantasy assassin and some deep, deep black op agent. The goggles that had those eyes that made Octane feel like he had just slammed five stims in less than one go were dark and Octane could not seen even a faint outline of what was underneath. The shape of a mouth behind the face covering also continued to not move.</p><p>And this intimidatingly badass guy now seemed... shy... as he stood next to Octane as the ship unloaded and everyone went about their day.</p><p>"Seriously newbie, I'm fine!" Octane grinned. He was dog tired now, but he did not want to guilt trip the new guy for just playing the game. And what a game it was, putting your opponents to in a sleepless stupor with just a look.</p><p>They were the last people on the ship now. Octane got an idea.</p><p>"Say, ya still feel bad about it, amigo? Tell ya what, let me see your mug."</p><p>"My face," Kam said.</p><p>"Yeah! You're one of them sims, right? Well, you all can't look like senor loincloth, right? I wanna know."</p><p>Kam was still for a moment, the absoluteness of it betraying his nonhuman status. For a moment, Octane thought that maybe he had crossed a line. People with masks wore them for a reason after all. Bloodhound wore theirs because they needed it to breath, along with that asshole doctor, he wore his to protect his face with his stunts. Sometimes a mask was just another way of hiding.</p><p>But then Kam reached up and pushed his hood back, revealing a head covered in a black covering.</p><p>"I cannot open my eyes when I take off my goggles," Kam said flatly before tugging on the covering and pulling it down. The goggles were pulled down next and--</p><p>Octane blinked. Underneath the hood was a white porcelain looking face, molded to look like a person's face. His eyelids were closed. And... and it was so weird. He looked so delicate and actually really pretty.</p><p>"Wow."</p><p>Kam's cheek twitched, betraying how finely articulated his face really was. Leagues about Revenant's half bare skull face anyway. His mouth, which showed no signs of moving before, twitched into something almost like a smile, before he was pulling his gear back on his head to once again cover it.</p><p>"... We should be friends!"</p><p>"Friends?"</p><p>"Yeah amigo, come on! You're a bot, I bet you're good at video games, come on, let me show you some of my faves!" Octane said, jumping to his feet.</p><p>"... Alright."</p><p>"Friendlier than Revenant too! Aw man, we're gonna be tight, Kam," Octane beamed behind his mask.</p>
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<a name="section0035"><h2>35. Mirage/Bloodhound</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Bloodhound/Mirage, nblm fluff, mentioned illness and medication</p><p>I am sick so now Elliot is sick and can get doted on because why not</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"I have a breathing system that cleans air and adds moisture to it and I breath through a filter, sæti, you need not worry about me," Bloodhound said as they gently pressed down against Elliot's chest to keep him from rising from bed to shoo them out of his apartment. He could not fight much or long, settling after a moment to wheeze wetly and cough harshly before looking up at Bloodhound through tired and glassy eyes. "Let me worry about you."</p><p>"Houndie..." Elliot groaned before coughing again.</p><p>"Hush. Let me take care of you," Bloodhound said, pushing his damp curls from his feverish forehead.</p><p>There was a rather sturdy cold running through the Apex legends and games were cancelled for the next two weeks to try and fight it and allow the sick Apex fighters to self quarantine and try and recover. Elliot had managed to get it and given that Bloodhound's chances were very, very small of getting it along as they kept their mask on and they wash and cleaned their clothing afterwards, they went to the love of their life's side to help him recover. Though Elliot, even sick, had tried to urge them to look after themself. While sweet of him to care about them even as sick as he was, Bloodhound very much did want to take care of Elliot and they would take proper precautions to make sure that they did not get or pass it onto others.</p><p>"Do you have medication?" Bloodhound asked.</p><p>"... Yeah, Ajay, bless her, came by and dropped a bag off," Elliot said, motioning towards the front door. Bloodhound went and found a bag on a small table by the door with mediciation and a few comfort items, likely taken by Elliot and then dropped there before stumbling back to bed. They took it, read the instructions, and came with a dose and a large glass of water that they fussed onto Elliot until he downed both, before settling into bed.</p><p>"Yer gonna get sick," Elliot slurred out as Bloodhound pulled the blankets over him.</p><p>"I am being careful, you relax," Bloodhound urged, going and getting a wet cloth and wiping off Elliot's sweaty forehead. "Besides that, even if I do, I will have you, ja?"</p><p>"Always baby," Elliot slurred out before his eyes closed and he mercifully got some sleep.</p><p>Despite Elliot's concerns about their health, they stayed roughly the week that it took for him to recover. They stayed the nights, though to be safe, they slept on the couch and they rarely took off their mask except to clean it in another room. They also made sure to wash their clothing after the day was done. They also made sure to resist the urge to have too much physical contact with Elliot, despite the encompassing need to smother him in attention and affection and let him know that all was well. They settled for fretting lovingly. They frequently told themself that they would smother him when he was was well again.</p><p>At the end of the week, Elliot was more or less feeling better and able to be up and about without getting winded or feeling sick. He still sniffled and coughed occasionally and was still a little warm to the touch, but he seemed more or less in the clear.</p><p>"Let me see ya, baby," Ajay said when she came by, supporting a medical mask, to check up on him. She checked him out and ran him through a list of questions that seemed to check where along he was.</p><p>"Well, ya sound almost there, I'd say maybe three days. Hound has been takin' real good care of ya, El, ya a lucky man," Ajay said once she had thrown away her gloves and wrapped anything that needed to be properly disposed off and placed them safely within her bag.</p><p>"I am," Elliot smiled, looking over that them and beaming. They smiled behind their mask back.</p><p>"Alright. Ya know the drill. Water, rest, take ya meds, don't go outside," Ajay said. "Anything else make sure you call me, yeah? I'm the yahoo wrangler around here and I won't have one of ya end up in the emergency room because ya didn't take a flu seriously."</p><p>"Yes ma'am," Elliot grinned.</p><p>"Behave you two!" Ajay said as she waved them off as she left.</p><p>"So... I remember you saying that I should stay away..."</p><p>"Yeah, yeah. I was wrong, my baby was absolutely right," Elliot laughed, stopping to cough once before continuing. "I am glad you stayed baby, I love you so much."</p><p>"I love you too Elliot," They chuckled, reaching over to gently run their fingers through his curls, thankfully no longer damp with feverish sweat. "And when you are no longer sick, I intend to show you it."</p><p>"No kisses from the baby, can't have shit in Detroit."</p><p>Bloodhound laughed.</p>
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<a name="section0036"><h2>36. Mirage/Bloodhound nblm fluff, soulmate au</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Bloodhound/Mirage, soulmates sharing scars au, a child briefly being hurt (bloodhound + elliot being scarred), mentioned self consciousness about appearances, issues regarding breathing</p><p>miragehound and soulmates sharing scars au, i am super sick so excuse the mistakes</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They say that soulmates share a single soul, you each carry half until you meet each other and then you are whole. They also say, because of this, is why you share in their pain, their wounds, their scars, even after you meet each other. They say that because you are but one half of a set that makes a whole, that this is why your soulmates scars reflect your own.</p><p>So maybe that was why, when Elliot was playing out in the yard with his brothers, that his lungs suddenly felt like they were frozen solid and that he could not breath. Maybe that was why his skin started to freeze and crack.</p><p>His brother had run screaming to get their parents and they had rushed him to the ER. But his bout of freezing lasted only a few minutes, even if it seemed like it had lasted longer. Even if it had completely robbed him of his ability to breath and even as they took him into the hospital, he still felt like he was frozen to the bone and could feel the sharp pinpoints of agony along his newly scarred skin. Even as he sat shivering as doctors poked and prodded at him to figure out why it seemed like he had almost frozen to death right then and there.</p><p>"Soul wounds, it seems," One doctor confirmed as they finally piled a medical heating blanket on him and turned it on low. He still shivered underneath of it and remembered wishing they would turn it up higher and being told that he had to wait.</p><p>"Wait, is his soulmate... you know..." His dad had asked.</p><p>"As far as we can tell, surprisingly, no," The doctor had said.</p><p>"Jesus, what's happening to that poor kid," His mom had muttered.</p><p>"Well, whatever is happening to them, it seems to have stabilized at the very least. The damage is done, however. The scarring is quite... extensive just on his skin and from what can tell, its in his lungs as well. We will have to wait and see how, but his breathing will likely be affected by this..."</p><p>Elliot was barely a teenager when it had happened. And when it was over, he had scarring along his face, hands and neck, and as the doctors had feared, within his lungs as well. He had to be put on a special breather system, it would keep anything potentially upsetting out of his scarred lungs as well as put moisture into the air he breathed to keep the scar tissue nice and calm. </p><p>He tried to look on the bright side of things, he got to wear a cool compact gas mask everywhere even if the little pack attached it also had to come with, and he had some wicked scars even as a kid.</p><p>Then... then the tender ages of the teens came and well...</p><p>People whispered about his scars, about what they said about his soulmate. They would try and hide it, but there was always those people that were not careful enough that he heard them mutter about his soulmate. How reckless they were if they got so hurt and how hurt they made Elliot, how painful and ugly the scars looked and his soulmate was foolish to doing something to themself that harmed another so, how they hoped that their breathing was as hampered as Elliot's was. </p><p>And well... Elliot took it all weirdly more against him than them, because people tried to act like his soulmate was a reckless bull in a china shop with their life and his but... they kept saying shit about his scars and his breathing thing and he became incredibly self conscious about his scars and his breathing and breathing device.</p><p>The gloves came first, hiding the bruised colored tips of his scarred fingertips. Then when he later joined the Apex games, he incorporated an improved design of his breather into a full facemask to hide his scarred face. And so he was, Mirage and every inch of skin hidden away from view, because the world had made its opinion about his scars and breathing well known and he was not going to give them an inch of either.</p><p>Given that he was covered up and called Mirage, he actually made a reputation of being quite mysterious. People gossiped about what was under all his gear and what he looked like. Even his coworkers gossiped about him. All added to his rebudding self confidence and this need for attention that was on him but also not on his 'sore' spots. It felt good and he made quite a reputation of it. Even if, when he started to really get his swing, he got compared to Bloodhound a lot.</p><p>"You both wear masks and cover up!" Octane had said.</p><p>Not that Elliot minded. Bloodhound was a three time champ and honestly, once he started to get to know them, he started really liking them and eventually developed a bit of a crush on them. Them also having breathing issues and wanting to cover up actually started a budding friendship that turned into real friendship and then maybe something more or maybe Elliot was looking into things too deep.</p><p>Then one day, in a twisted sense of fate, the tubing that delivered the much needed clear air to Bloodhound's lungs via their mask was shot and they were down for the count and gasping for air.</p><p>"I got you Houndie, I got you," Elliot panicked as the tubing hissed softly and they wheezed behind their mask.</p><p>"Elliot," They gritted out.</p><p>"Umm... wait, what kinda breathing system you got? Does it pump moisture and clean air?"</p><p>"Y-yes," They wheezed.</p><p>"Perfect!" Elliot said, undoing his own mask.</p><p>Bloodhound stopped squirming and just went still as Elliot undid his mask. They did not fight him unbuckling their own mask and goggles to put his own over their face properly. They just remained where they had fallen to their knees, staring at him as he buckled it around their head. They remained there as he worked with what he had to cut the punctured tubing away and affixed the remaining length together in a quick fix that would have to wait until they got to his shop to properly fix. They remained still as Elliot tested their mask on his own face, before undoing his mask from their face and reaffixing theirs.</p><p>It was only much later that the two of them, on the ship back home and sitting away from others, that they addressed the issue at hand without Bloodhound asphyxiating to worry about.</p><p>"... We share the same scars..." Bloodhound muttered.</p><p>"... Yeah..."</p><p>"You must... think me such a terrible person. They must have come to young to you as they did to me," Bloodhound muttered, sounding truly horrified that Elliot had to reach over and grab a gloved hand awkwardly. Bloodhound grabbed back, just as unsure and hesitant, but since they were soulmates, Elliot was sure that they would learn how to hold hands. How to comfort and soothe one another.</p><p>"No. Never did... can you talk about what happened?"</p><p>"I... yes, of course, you deserve to know. I was hunting a beast that killed my uncle into an abandoned facility. The Allfather guided my hand and I threw my ax at a some coolant piping. It froze the beast and killed it, but it also froze me as well..." Bloodhound looked at his gloved hands. "And... you, it would seem."</p><p>"Don't worry, Houndie, it doesn't sound like you were out to hurt yourself. Ho-on--honestly never blamed you for what happened, never hated you... was worried about you though..." Elliot said quietly as he held their hand.</p><p>The two of them just sat in silence for awhile, listening to the ship and feeling the slight turbulence around them.</p><p>"So uh... we're not gonna fall in love right away but... I'd like to take you to d-dinner, talk with you, get to know you," Elliot said quietly, looking over at them. "Yeah?"</p><p>"... I would like that," Bloodhound said, squeezing his hand.</p>
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<a name="section0037"><h2>37. Bangalore/Loba</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Bangalore/Loba, wlw fluff, mentioned alcohol and food</p><p>Loba takes Anita to a club</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Loba had convinced her to go out to a club. Her, of all people. Her that had showed up in a t-shirt and jeans and her combat boots and Loba that had showed up with deep maroon dress with a daring back, red strappy heels with straps all the way up to her knees and pretty much looking like a goddess (or maybe that was just Anita's love struck heart talking). Her that wanted to cling to the bar counter or a far wall and be out of the way of people that were better dressed and obviously more comfortable.</p><p>Her that Loba took her drink and tossed it back like it was not the 'put chest on your chest' drinks, before taking her newly freed hands, giving her that look that Anita could never resist, and pulling onto the dance floor. Loba did take some pity on her and did not take her to the center where it looked like the most bodies were moving the most. More towards the edge where people were moving slower and more with other people.</p><p>"I don't know how to dance."</p><p>"Just think of me, Annie. Keep them beautiful eyes on me."</p><p>Loba knew how to move, knew what to do with her arms, knew what to do with those hips that Anita loved so much, knew what to do with her feet. Anita did not, but no one was paying them any heed and Loba only had eyes for her. So she kept her eyes on Loba. She did glance around to see what other people were doing, before opting for what looked like an acceptable, slightly more lively than the 'I'm obviously rarely being in a club' shuffle and getting a beaming smile out of Loba.</p><p>"See, you're doing it."</p><p>"I'm doing something alright."</p><p>So they danced together as the music throbbed around them and other club goers danced around them and a rainbow of lights flashed around them. Soon enough, Anita actually started to feel a lot more comfortable. She still would have preferred a dive bar with beer and the game playing, but this here with Loba dancing in front of her, was pretty good too.</p><p>It got better with a slower song started playing.</p><p>It sounded like it wanted slower and more sultry dancing, but still notably lively and 'club' dancing. But Loba seemed keen for something else, reaching out and taking Anita's hands and planting them on her hips before getting in close. Almost kissing close and close enough that Anita could see the slight sheen of sweat on her skin and smell that perfume that Loba only wore for their dates 'so then it would be special just for them'. And so close, Loba swayed, smiling and looking at Anita with flushed and endeared eyes.</p><p>"I love when I can fluster you, soldier girl."</p><p>"Meanie."</p><p>Loba giggled, pressing in closer and casually putting her arms around Anita's neck and leaning in even closer still.</p><p>"Can I make it up to you over beers and take-out at your place?" Loba asked sweetly, fanning her eyelashes.</p><p>"Maybe," Anita teased back, grinning when Loba smirked back. She leaned in and kiss her wonderful girlfriend. "It's a date."</p>
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<a name="section0038"><h2>38. Mirage/Bloodhound</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Bloodhound/Mirage, nblm fluff, blink and miss implications that BH has faced transphobia before, public declarations of love</p><p>Bloodhound tells the world(s) that they're dating Elliot</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After games and currently Elliot wanted to perish standing up.</p><p>Normally it was all about the autographs and pictures. Let fans take pics, sign pictures that they had bought or taken from streams, sometimes sign items. Normally these were all things that Elliot took in stride and loved doing and happily spent time doing after games. He loved the attention, he loved interacting with the fans that loved him, he loved everything about it.</p><p>Today was not one of those days because today was a day that they had to talk about themselves because today was Q&amp;A. And between his stutter, his complete lack of confidence in himself and generally how... he was actually kind of boring outside of the games well... Elliot really hated Q&amp;A days.</p><p>They had already run through Loba (who was flawless), Octane (a self confident mess that had Ajay groaning loud enough to be heard over the crowd), Wattons (cute as a button) and Rampart (same as Octane) and now they were onto Bloodhound</p><p>People asked Bloodhound the weirdest questions. Thankfully enough perma-bans from events and one time 'not noticing' Bloodhound setting Artur upon the crowd had effectively silenced the transphobes, but people were still so goddamn weird about their questions for Bloodhound that it got to the point that no one liked listening to the segments.</p><p>Thankfully the first round of questions went smoothly. What planet where they from (I do not wish to discuss), what was their crow's favorite food (he is a raven actually and he enojys blueberries), did they have a favorite gun (many, it depended on the situation, light ammo guns though they found themself using frequently). And overall, the impending feeling of doom settled down for a moment and Elliot could focus on dread his own questions and looking like an idiot as he struggled to stutter through them.</p><p>"Do you have a significant other?"</p><p>Elliot froze, looking over at Bloodhound as they seemed to ponder this for a moment. Sure, Bloodhound readily told their coworkers about himself and them, but all their fans? Of course he understood if they lied or opted out, their safety and wellbeing was more important--</p><p>"Yes," Bloodhound said.</p><p>"Who?" The person with the mic asked before it could get taken away.</p><p>"Mirage," Bloodhound stated bluntly.</p><p>The crowd went dead silent. Elliot felt his ears light up. Holy shit, did they just...</p><p>The crowd went wild for a second, a few hundred people asking questions while Elliot felt his entire face catch fire because Bloodhound just announced to several planets and hundreds of thousands of people watching via stream or in the room, that the two of them were dating. Something that Bloodhound did not seem interested in, casually getting up and walking over to where Elliot was seated and still staring ahead in shock. They bent over, undoing one side of their mask and pulling it off in a way that only Elliot could see, leaning over and giving him a peck, before quickly putting their mask back on and then leaving.</p><p>That left a newly stunned crowd and Elliot feeling about as red as a tomato.</p><p>"Is it true, Mirage?" Someone asked.</p><p>"Uh... yeah," Elliot mumbled out, turning even redder as the crowd blew its top.</p>
<hr/><p>"I hope I did not bother you too much today, elskan," Bloodhound said once Elliot had managed to get away. They were outside waiting for him and walked with him as they left to go into Solace and just be away from the Apex fans for awhile. "They asked a question and I merely answered."</p><p>"I uh... you're good just... wow, baby," Elliot said, still feeling hot.</p><p>"You do not need to lie to me if I harmed you, my love," Bloodhound said seriously, quietly.</p><p>"I'm not lying baby just..." Elliot rubbed the back of his neck. "Just the self c-co--conscious part of me, I guess. You're a three time champ and just the coolest and most badass person I know and I'm just... me."</p><p>"You are Mirage, Elliot Witt, the love of my life, a skill fighter in the arena, a good and kind man with a good heart," Bloodhound said seriously. "I am not ashamed of my love for you and would happily tell the world that you hold my heart."</p><p>"You uh... kinda already did that baby, several worlds to be e-eg-- exactly," Elliot chuckled.</p><p>"I would shout it all of them if I could... I love you, Elliot," Bloodhound said quietly, reaching over and taking his hand, threading their fingers together and squeezing tightly.</p><p>"I love you too, baby."</p><p>"Plus now I have a digital recording of you blushing, which is, arguably when you are at your most handsome," Bloodhound chuckled.</p><p>"You're so mean!" Elliot laughed.</p><p>Bloodhound chuckled softly, squeezing his hand again.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0039"><h2>39. Mirage/Bloodhound</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"How was your day?"</p><p>It seemed like such a... silly thing. Such a simple question to ask someone. More 'polite silence filler' that did not really require an answer than anything. Something to fill the void and shatter the silence.</p><p>Maybe that was why, it did not really process how much care and thought could go into such a simple question, until Bloodhound asked him that.</p><p>"How was you day, elskan?"</p><p>Elliot had just gotten off the dropship and had just headed Bloodhound's way in sort of a blind, misrable haze. The game was rough, apparently there were a number of people out there that day that wanted to win no matter what and a number of people had utilized sniper rifles. It never felt good getting eliminated by someone you never saw, at least when Elliot was gunned down up close he got the satisfaction of knowing who it was. Someone that just wanted to bulldoze their way to victory felt... not great, especially since he was one of the ones that got bulldozed. Not to mention the games did not want to hear from people that got eliminated early in them, so he did not even get the satisfaction of fans fawning over him and just got told to go home.</p><p>Now he was standing in the little house that Bloodhound kept on planet, them having not been scheduled that day, sitting in a chair and reading from an actual paperback book, wearing their respirator and comfy clothing and looking the picture of relaxed. And...</p><p>"Kinda shitty, not gonna lie, baby," Elliot sighed, blowing air out as he trudged in, kicking out of his boots.</p><p>"I am sorry. Can I make it better?"</p><p>And... something about getting that response to a question that felt like it had no meaning suddenly hit Elliot like a ton of bricks. Because it was not a hollow question to break the silence, but it was an honest to god inquiry about his day and his wellbeing because... Bloodhound cared about it. Bloodhound cared about him and of course they cared about him because they loved him. They loved him and cared about him and it just felt... good for someone to show it.</p><p>"I'm here with you it's b-be--better already," Elliot sighed, giving them a genuine, if a little tired, smile. </p><p>Bloodhound put aside their book before holding out their arms beckoningly. Elliot tugged off his gear before going willingly into them, snorting as Bloodhound pulled him into their lap. He still went, getting comfy as they wrapped their arms around him and pulled him close, letting him put his head on their shoulder and just rest. Feeling safe and secure in their strong arms and just knowing that he was generally safe and comfortable with Bloodhound. Not to mention just so damned warm and comfy because it was Bloodhound.</p><p>"I am sorry you had a bad though," Bloodhound sighed contently.</p><p>"Eh, my day is already lookin' up," Elliot grinned. "So, baby, how was your day?"</p><p>"Dull. But much better with you here, elskan."</p><p>Elliot smiled as he rubbed his cheek against the material on their shoulder.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0040"><h2>40. Revenant/Pathfinder</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Revenant/Pathfinder, fluff, brief mentions of suicidal thinking</p><p>Reclaiming just a little</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"I will be very careful, friend," Pathfinder said quietly.</p><p>Revenant wanted to make a scathing comment, a sarcastic one, something so bitter and dry he would be able to taste it despite having not had a tongue in over two centuries. Something to put that wall up to protect himself because all he had was hatred, rage and a death wish keeping him going over the past twenty some odd years after the brainwashing program had been abruptly broken for him. But... he did not.</p><p>"Okay," He said softly back, laying his long and slender hand in Pathfinder's shorter and box like hand.</p><p>Pathfinder had an oiled leather roll of little and intricate tools on the table as he tenderly and delicately cradled Revenant's hand in one and used the other to pick along the tools. He picked what looked like a little miniature and elongated crowbar thing, carefully sticking it along the edge of the little plating with <i>their</i> fucking logo on him. Like a fucked up tattoo but something so much darker and vicious in meaning, and started prying the plating up a little bit at a time.</p><p>Because Pathfinder was helping him, of all people, scrap Hammond and Atlas off his twisted nightmare cage of a metal body to give him some peace of mind and sanity. 'Even if we have to do it every time you come back, I will,' Pathfinder had told him when the friendly bot had suggested it. and Revenant knew that Pathfinder would help him pop the plates off the backs of his hands and scrap the paint off of him and help him paint over the raw metal. Because Pathfinder cared, Pathfinder in all his curious boundless enthusiasm just for life itself... cared about him. Because despite it all... Pathfinder loved him.</p><p>The metal plates were easy to remove, probably some part of his body being mass-produced to ship out to several companies and why weld something that could be changed out when you can be cheap and used fitted metal pieces and some glue? After that, Pathfinder took out a handheld sanding thing, not a machine but a piece of some type of sandpaper attached to a plastic handle, and took to stripping Atlas off his body with as much tender love and care as one could when stripping paint from metal.</p><p>"Are you alright?"</p><p>"Yeah."</p><p>Pathfinder stripped the Atlas from his body and then used a little spray pen to just paint over the areas with a simple black paint. And... he felt better. Just a little, but knowing that he did not have their names on his body anymore helped him feel less trapped by his body. Less trapped by his future.</p><p>"I have one thing for you, friend!" Pathfinder chimed, taking up Revenant's hands again. "Please don't peek? I promise it will be a fun surprise!"</p><p>"... Okay," Revenant said, turning off his optics for a moment.</p><p>He felt Pathfinder fiddling around with his hands, messing around with the empty sockets in the backs of his hands now. He idly wondered what Pathfinder was doing, knowing that Pathfinder would not put the Hammond plates back in, before Pathfinder told him that he could look now. He turned his optics back on and looked down at his hands, being lovingly cradled by Pathfinder and...</p><p>"Pathy..." Revenant said, looking at the new plates in the backs of his hands. Ones that had the same smiling emote that Pathfinder had.</p><p>"I had them made when we talked about removing your Hammond plates. Do you like them?" Pathfinder said, his screen reflecting the joyful yellow now on the back of Revenant's hands. A little bit of joy from Pathfinder to him because Pathfinder loved and cared for him.</p><p>"Almost as much you, baby," Revenant said.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0041"><h2>41. Revenant/Pathfinder</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Revenant/Pathfinder, fluff</p><p>I'm cleaning out the comp and found this wip, decided to quickly finish it up and post it</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Duos with Pathfinder. His little, cold metallic black heart was having a field day as he took to the field and killed with Pathfinder at his side. Not that he would breathe a word about it to anyone, but he liked fighting by Pathfinder's side, he liked seeing Pathfinder in bloody action. Not to mention he loved Pathfinder. Killing by his side was perhaps the most romantic thing that they could do in Revenant's eyes. Besides that walk in that flower park, but he would take that to the grave.</p><p>Anyway, it was them killing, on a goddamn streak, having the time of their lives.</p><p>They must have scared off a number of people away from where they were on a roll, because they walked for a bit and found no one and no sign of anyone.</p><p>"Cowards," Revenant hummed.</p><p>He turned away from Pathfinder for a moment, trusting Pathfinder with his back. Where the hell was the rest of the skinsuits at?</p><p>"I am going to look over there," Pathfinder announced, making Revenant turn briefly to see Pathfinder point towards a cluster of loot boxes and a building. Good idea, get some better guns and see if any coward skinsuit was hiding out there. Revenant nodded in approval, getting a beaming smile emote back, before Pathfinder happily jogged over to where he had pointed out before.</p><p>Now... where were those assholes...</p><p>Revenant pulled up his gun and looked through the scope to see into the distance. They actually had some pretty clear line of sights, so no one with a sniper rifle was out there or at least none brave enough to take a shot. Also no glimpses of people trying to line up shots... damn it really was abandoned around here--</p><p>"I have found treasure!" Pathfinder announced.</p><p>"That's great ba--"</p><p>Pathfinder's cable caught his waist and snagged it, Revenant only getting half a second to realize this, before he was yanked with a surprising amount of speed and strength over to Pathfinder, who gave the still startled Revenant a smiling emote when he had made it over and came to a screeching halt as his metal feet dragged along the ground.</p><p>"What great treasure I found!" Pathfinder said, his screen turning into a heart eyed emoji.</p><p>If Revenant could blush he would be. There was no two ways about it, he was flustered. Just the cable, the lines, Pathy...</p><p>"Oh my god, baby," Revenant said, putting his face in his hands.</p><p>"Good?" Pathfinder asked, retracting the cable but setting his hands on Revenant's hips.</p><p>"Yeah," Revenant let his hands drop, just so that he could reach and grab a hold of Pathfinder's shoulders and butt their heads together. Their way of kissing. Never failed to make Pathfinder's screen explode into hearts. "That was really good baby."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0042"><h2>42. Gibraltar/Crypto, mlm fluff</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Gibraltar/Crypto, mlm fluff</p><p>Prompt: "Can I sleep with you?"</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Can I sleep with you?"</p><p>Makoa looked up from his book, seeing Crypto standing in the doorway, wearing a baggy t-shirt that showed off a lot of collarbone and a pair of baggy sleeping pants. A goodness, he almost looked... normal, almost casual. One could almost forget that this man was wanted for a crime that he did not commit, that he had implants bolted to his face and neck to change his appearance digitally and to the naked eye. One could just look at this guy, dressed for bed, looking comfy and cute.</p><p>"Sure," Makoa said, scooting over and holding up his blanket, letting Crypto quietly pad over and slip into bed with him, pressing his much smaller frame up against Makoa's much larger side. Makoa let the blanket fall over them and got comfortable again, picking up his book. When Crypto nudged, Makoa lifted up his arm just a bit and gladly let Crypto get comfortable, head on Makoa's chest and a slender arm sliding over to hug across his chest.</p><p>"Bad dreams?" Makoa asked once Crypto settled.</p><p>"I'm not... comfortable is all," Crypto said. "Also I could hear Loba talking in her sleep in the next room. The walls are... thin."</p><p>"Yeah," Makoa hummed, nudging Crypto closer. Both to get Crypto warmer and also to share on the warmth budding between them. The walls were thin, the house seemed to hold such little heat, despite how many bodies were slipping in it and the fireplace that probably still giving off some heat from the embers.</p><p>"You're... quiet."</p><p>"Tired," Makoa yawned, looking down and seeing Crypto's dark eyes looking up at him. He gave him a smile. "Really, promise."</p><p>"Okay."</p><p>After a few more pages, Makoa slid his book underneath his pillow, before sliding a bit further underneath the covers. He kept one arm around Crypto, keeping him pressed close, the other he settled on his stomach. He was tired, dog tired, the games had been rough that day, not to mention the ship blowing a fuse and having to rent out a house with the size capable of housing them? He was looking forward to some hard Z's and then the week off after that they had promised for their 'discomfort and understanding'.</p><p>As he felt sleep crawl up on him, he rolled his head to the side to look at Crypto, cheek pressed against his chest and his eyes already closed. The man looked real good all the time, but these little moments when the walls were down and he felt safe? When it was not Crypto but Tae-Joon Park with him? Makoa thought he looked best then because there was this softness to him that was hard to beat.</p><p>He bent his head and kissed Crypto's sleepy head goodnight before letting his own find comfort in his pillow and falling asleep. Comfortable and warm with his man by his side.</p>
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<a name="section0043"><h2>43. Loba/Bangalore/Wraith</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Wraith/Loba/Bangalore, wlw polyam fluff, food</p><p>Prompt: 'Buying Sweets on a Date'</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"I wanna stop here."</p><p>"Here?"</p><p>"Yeah, you ever been to a sweet shop, Ren?" Loba asked, turning to look at her girlfriend to her left. Actually looked casual for once, since Loba had managed to convince her to ditch the gear for a spell and wear just a comfy t-shirt, jeans and boots. Not that Loba blamed her for being more comfortable in her gear, or wanting to go without it, but it was obvious that once she got comfortable, that Renee actually was comfortable just being 'Renee' for a casual walking date.</p><p>"Maybe once or twice? It's kinda hard to remember..." Renee muttered.</p><p>"Well let's go now, I'll buy my ladies something nice," Loba smiled, tugging Renee and Anita along, squeezing both their hands as they stepped inside to the warm air and sweeter aromas awaiting them.</p><p>"I'm not really a sweets kinda gal," Anita said casually as they stepped in and started looking around at the neat and classy little glass displays showing off all the sweets. Everything from plain and simple to the absolutely decadent looking.</p><p>"Yes you are, because you're the sweetest gal I know, Annie," Loba said, giving Anita a wink that had her snorting at the corniness but blushing and flustered all the same.</p><p>Loba had a craving for good chocolate and good truffles if they had them and was happy to see that the shop had both and bought a nice little box of each. Renee and Anita both seemed stumped when presented all the options, and despite Loba's assurances that they did not need to pick anything if they really did not want anything, they both seemed like they wanted something at least. Eventually Renee settled on a lollipop and Anita wanted chocolate covered pretzels in a little box, both of which Loba bought for her super sweet loves before they all went back to walking the busy 'touristy' street.</p><p>"Sweets for the sweeties, done," Loba hummed happily.</p><p>"You can be really corny, you know that, babe?" Anita smirked as Renee just pinked cutely.</p><p>"What can I say? You lovely ladies inspire me," Loba smiled, squeezing her girlfriends' hands. "Now come on, I plan on treating you ladies to a proper day out and we ain't done yet."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0044"><h2>44. Bloodhound/Gibraltar</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: budding Gibraltar/Bloodhound, nblm fluff, pining</p><p>idk idk idk I thought it'd be nice</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Bloodhound was not a fan of duking it out in the games. Violent melee was something that came as a last resort. A true hunter could take down their prey with precision and level headedness. </p><p>Not a violent hack and slash because they had run out of bullets trying to kill Revenant and now they were trying to bat away the violent tools of murder that were his hands as he tried to back them towards an edge. He was trying to force them to make a mistake. Force an opening to kill them. They were not yielding because they never would, not for anything, least of all the piece of shit simucarlum, but he was pressing forward relentlessly and they were slowly but surely being forced back closer and closer to the edge.</p><p>Their teeth came together behind their respirator. They had stared down far worthier opponents and ones that were actually scary. This metal bastard would never--</p><p>Revenant's hand came at them, when their ax met to deflect, their arm was snapped back from trying to deflect the force behind his arm. He was a metal beast after all, of course he would have super human like strength. The jumped back to avoid the other arm while their numbed arm tried to recover and the edge of their boot hit the edge, meeting air. They lurched forward and narrowly avoided a metal hand trying to stab into their gut. Their ax met the other hand and when Revenant pressed forward again, more of their boot met air instead of solid ground. Their teeth came together and a frustrated growl rumbled through their chest, this bastard--</p><p>Revenant stabbed forward again and they shifted back naturally to avoid it and they cursed as they fell into the open air, the hand not holding their ax snapping out to grip the edge that they had just fallen off of, grunting as they tried to hold their weight. Clutching desperately because they would not die here, not like this and certainly not to Revenant. They would live--</p><p>Revenant chuckled above them, gloating because of course he would. Those soulless yellow optics stared down at them as he chuckled low and dark. Slowly, Revenant ducked down, hands splaying out on the edge that Bloodhound clung too desperately.</p><p>"Long live the champion, hunter," Revenant chuckled, claws going for Bloodhound's hand.</p><p>"Yes... long live me," Bloodhound gritted out.</p><p>Bloodhound braced their feet on the wall, they swung their weight up into their swing and they fucking <i>buried</i> their ax in Revenant's head. Revenant grunted once, his optics went dark, and they pulled their arm back. Revenant's body followed their ax, going with it as they dragged their arm down and falling off when they dragged their arm down to the side. Oil and coolant dripped from the now free blade and to the ground that was very far down.</p><p>Their victory was short lived because Revenant's weight still pulled them down and their fingers struggled to grasp to the metal wall that they were still clinging too. They grunted, trying to get their weight up again, but one arm was not enough to hold up all their weight and their gear and they had just expended a lot of strength in their other arm to kill Revenant. And after struggling to pull themself up, their fingers slipped and they fell again.</p><p>"FUCK!"</p><p>"I've got you!"</p><p>Instead of hitting the ground some many feet below, they hit Gibraltar's shield, bounced for a second and then fell again. But instead of the ground or Gibraltar's shield, they found themself gaping in shock up at a grinning Gibraltar, having landed in his arms instead.</p><p>"Gibraltar," They finally managed, breathless and still buzzed with adrenaline.</p><p>"Nice job takin' out the boogeyman, friend. Nearly took a nasty spill though," Gibraltar grinned.</p><p>"I ran out of ammo," Bloodhound muttered.</p><p>Gibraltar laughed and they flushed underneath their gear. They shifted and Gibraltar realized that he was still holding them, chuckling sheepishly as he put them down on their feet and they almost immediately collapsed. Gibraltar put a big hand on their shoulder to help ease them to their knees instead of hitting the ground hard and never were they so happy to have solid earth underneath of them. They reached up and fiddling with the setting on their respirator and just breathed hard for a few moments. That was too close... and they really fucking hated heights. Adrenaline was still singing its war song in their veins and now they shook from it.</p><p>"Gonna make it?" Gibraltar asked, squeezing their shoulder briefly. He sounded both light hearted but genuine in his concern and the heat of his hand penetrated through his gear and theirs and sank into their skin.</p><p>"That was... unpleasant," They grunted.</p><p>"I bet. Take your time, Octane is currently running down Wraith and guessin' by the excited Spanish, he's winning? Maybe?"</p><p>Gibraltar laughed again and they flushed again. He looked really good when he smiled and laughed.</p><hr/><p>"Ya okay, Puppy? Heard ya almost fell and bit it."</p><p>"I am well yes, thank you for asking after me."</p><p>Ajay just gave them a smile. They liked Ajay, she was a tried and true fighter, as well as generally a lovely woman to be around, they counted themself lucky that they were friends.</p><p>"Heard Gibby saved ya ass," Ajay said, glancing over at where Gibraltar was laughing it up with Octane as he recounted chasing down Wraith, who stood there and huffed about having lost, arms crossed over her chest as she glowered at a wildly moving Octane.</p><p>"Yes, he did," They said quietly, glancing over to see the honorable fighter and how he just lit up with his joyous laughter.</p><p>"Oh? I know that wistful tone anywhere, Puppy, ya gotta crush I should know about?" Ajay grinned, that devious smile only broadening when they turned to address her incredulously.</p><p>"He is simply a félagi fighter, a drengr that I enjoying fighting beside," They huffed, glancing to the side and seeing Gibraltar smiling brightly. "He is... also very handsome and has a charming smile..."</p><p>"Ya cute as a button, Puppy," Ajay snickered and making them huff again. "Ask 'im out."</p><p>"I am...."</p><p>Ajay waited, hands on her cocked hips, smug as could be.</p><p>"... Shy... around him... Ajay please, you know that my social skills are... subpar."</p><p>"Get used to starin' I guess, Puppy," Ajay shrugged casually, knocking shoulders with them. They sighed as she left, glancing over at Gibraltar again and being wistful. She was right, as Ajay usually was. But they could live with that. They simply were happy that a man like Gibraltar existed to brighten up the world.</p><hr/><p>"Heeeey, my favorite doctor!"</p><p>"Hey big man, how ya been?" Ajay grinned, fistbumping Gibraltar as she took a seat on the ship next to him. Always hated the drafted in the ship, always good to get a seat next to Gibraltar to chase away the chills. The big man just radiated heat like no ones business.</p><p>"Good, good. You speak with Hound? See how they're doin'?"</p><p>"Right as rain, that hunter of ours. A lot better thanks to you though, big man," Ajay smiled, looking over and seeing Bloodhound stuck at the bay of the ship, Octane running literal circles around them. Probably still buzzed from his victory and lingering stims in his system. Better he get it out before having to be strapped down in a seat.</p><p>"Always happy to help Hound out, they're a good person," Gibraltar grinned.</p><p>"They are, love them."</p><p>They watched Bloodhound gently placate Octane enough to get him to stop running around them.</p><p>"... You think I should ask them out?"</p><p>"Yes," Ajay said, trying her hardest to keep a straight face, but still smiling smugly. Good for these adorable dorks.</p>
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<a name="section0045"><h2>45. Bloodhound/Crypto/Mirage/Gibraltar</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Bloodhound/Crypto/Mirage/Gibraltar, nblm polyam fluff</p><p>Because why not take my two fave ships and slap it together in a polyam ship? This was super nice to write</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Elliot heard the front door open, not really looking away from the TV as he remained tangled with Makoa on the couch, enjoying an afternoon of cuddling with one of the boyfriends, until the other boyfriend and the significant other showed back up. And then it would be time for the big polyam cuddle pile. Right now, Elliot was very happy happy cuddling up with Makoa as the TV played something that he was losing favor with how warm and sturdy Makoa's shoulder was against his cheek.</p><p>"We are home," Bloodhound sighed loud enough for him and Makoa to hear.</p><p>Elliot craned his neck to look over the back of the couch and at Bloodhound and Tae as the two of them stepped inside the apartment and Bloodhound kicked the door shut behind them. They both looked tired, shoulders slumped and feet dragging along the floor.</p><p>"Rough game?" Makoa asked, also turning to look at them.</p><p>"Rough would be putting it lightly," Tae grumbled.</p><p>"Gibs, we're on boo-boo kissing d-duty, come on," Elliot said, giving the big man a peck before detangling himself from Makoa and swinging himself over the back of the couch as Tae and Bloodhound tiredly and sluggishly took off some of their gear.</p><p>"I do not have 'boo-boo's," Bloodhound deadpanned.</p><p>"Soooo... you don't want any kisses?" Elliot grinned.</p><p>"... I did pinch this finger here, while I was trying to reload," Bloodhound muttered, pointing to one of their still gloved hands, making Elliot and Tae snort with laughter.</p><p>But still, Elliot tugged their glove off and kissed the indicated finger as Makoa came over to give Tae a quick kiss on the forehead before they helped the two get out of their gear and then directed them towards the couch. Bloodhound pulled Tae into their lap and hugged him as he just went limp and let out a long and tired sigh. Elliot drapped himself across Makoa's lap and threw his legs over Bloodhound and Tae's legs.</p><p>"Wanna talk about it?" Makoa asked, reaching over to push some of Bloodhound's hair behind an ear.</p><p>"Sniper rifles," Tae grumbled.</p><p>"So many sniper rifles," Bloodhound grumbled.</p><p>"Aww," Elliot said.</p><p>"Also we were on a team with Octane and he was... himself. Allfather bless him but... he is something," Bloodhound sighed.</p><p>Makoa and Elliot winced at that, before they each beckoned the two closer. They came and got squished between the two of them, Makoa's big arms managed to get around Bloodhound and part of Tae and Elliot helped him finish the rest of the way with his. Elliot pressed a kiss to Tae's jaw and Makoa kissed Bloodhound's temple. And all cuddled together, they huddled down for some well earned time cuddled up together and Tae and Bloodhound's well earned time off their feet and away from the games. Tae rested his head on Bloodhound's chest and just went ahead and nodded off, all three of them grateful that Tae was comfortable enough around them to sleep so easily, a marvel even after months of dating.</p><p>So they bunkered down for a bit, happy as could be.</p>
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<a name="section0046"><h2>46. Loba/Banaglore</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Loba/Bangalore, wlw fluff, mentioned food</p><p>lobalore fluff, prompt: cuddling</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Come here, Annie."</p><p>Bangalore, tired after a long time, gratefully sank into bed and her girlfriend's open and beckoning arms, pressing her face into Loba's soft throat as they moved to lay on their sides, taking in the soft perfume that Loba used and how warm and soft was she was. Bangalore easily closer her eyes and just let herself relax as she slid an arm around Loba and tugged her close against her being, sighing happily when Loba hooked a leg over her hip to press them even closer.</p><p>"There's my sweet girl," Loba said into Bangalore's hair, arms around Bangalore's neck loosely as she felt the solid body in her arms relax.</p><p>"Hmm."</p><p>"Long day?"</p><p>"Hmm..."</p><p>"Don't you worry about a thing, Annie, its just you and me now," Loba said, tugging Bangalore that little bit closer.</p><p>Bangalore settled heavily into bed, relaxed and at ease and it make Loba's heart soar that she could help her lady relax after a rough day. Bangalore needed to relax in general, but that would come later, if Loba could help out in a moment to moment basis, then that was good too. Like right now, she could make sure that Bangalore could take a good long rest, then maybe wow her with (ordered) breakfast and maybe a good rub down to work out all those wonderful muscles of her. Maybe a shared shower with some of her own 'pretty scented' products that Bangalore admitted that she liked the smell of.</p><p>Just a lowkey pampering was indeed in order for her lady.</p><p>A snore against her collarbone nearly made her jump, nearly. And then she had to quietly laugh at herself. Of course her baby would feel comfortable and safe around her to just pass out in her arms. Bangalore would have huffed and pouted about it, but the 'big bad' soldier girl could be absolutely adorable sometimes, all the time even if Loba was to be the judge of that. She kissed Bangalore's sweet, adorable head and held her close to her.</p><p>"My sweet Annie," Loba chuckled softly.</p><p>Loba could not wait to spoil her rotten when she got up, she loved her baby so much.</p>
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<a name="section0047"><h2>47. Revenant/Pathfinder</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Revenant/Pathfinder, background Mirage/Bloodhound, accidents, mild language</p><p>Rev and Path take a moment as Gibraltar fishes Octane and Bloodhound from outside the arena bounds</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Are you okay, Revenant?"</p><p>"Hush, Path baby."</p><p>Right now, Revenant had his head leaned against Pathfinder's as the two stood there and waited for the rescue party (consisting of Gibraltar and a few other of those SARAS or whatever), propelled down to help Bloodhound and Octane because one jump on the little speed demon's trampoline had had a malfunction and sent the two flying off and unfortunately, into the area just outside the battle arena. Thankfully they were alright, but between Bloodhound's heavy gear and Octane's legs, they had no way to get up and the game had to be called off so that the two could be grabbed. Revenant could hear Octane excitedly shouting up about the jump and then the fall and Bloodhound's pleading to get them out of there. Mirage stood close to the edge panic over his significant other and Ajay was yelling at Octane over the edge about gear maintenance.</p><p>All that horseshit aside, Revenant was taking a moment to just bask in not a lot of people talking and that he and Pathfinder could just stand together. Mostly he was leaning on Pathfinder, bored out of his metal skull and honestly looking forward to a long recharge that night, hopefully cuddled up with Pathfinder. Pathfinder seemed worried about his friends, cute as was per usual with him, but seemed torn between fidgeting where he stood to be close to Revenant and wanting to go offer help. Probably could have helped with his grapple, but the big human and his little rescue buddies had it, Revenant wanted to lean on Pathfinder for a bit.</p><p>"You should have seen it!"</p><p>"I'M GOING TO KICK YA ASS, SILVA, I FUCKING SWEAR!"</p><p>"Please do not kick Octane's rear end, friend Lifeline!" Pathfinder pleaded, an 'anxious' emoji flashing on his screen.</p><p>"Got him!" Gibraltar called.</p><p>Revenant watched idly as the big man was brought up, carrying Octane like he weighed nothing and he probably did given the thinness of Octane's waist and the size of Gibraltar's biceps and how the two were probably about the same around. He let out a small chuckle as Gibraltar put Octane down just for Octane to just up and dash away again to avoid Ajay. A moment later another rescuer came up, huffing and puffing but triumphantly carrying Bloodhound with them, the hunter gratefully sinking to the ground and happily getting smothered by the pretty boy.</p><p>"Yay!" Pathfinder chimed happily, screen lighting up with a smiling emoji.</p><p>"Yay." Revenant mimicked with none of the the enthusiasm, but happy that Pathfinder was happy.</p><p>"I am glad that they are alright," Pathfinder said, bouncing on his feet a little.</p><p>"Yeah, sure."</p><p>Gibraltar wanted to do a check over of the two before letting them go. It took some gentle coaxing to get Lifeline to leave Octane alone for a second to do it, but eventually the two were cleared and the Legends had the evening off.</p><p>"Wanna go back to my place for a recharge?" Revenant asked, holding out a hand.</p><p>"Yes please!" Pathfinder chimed, eagerly taking that hand and his screen lighting up with pink hearts.</p><p>What a cutie, Revenant thought with a note of delight, as he held Pathfinder's hand as they took off.</p>
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<a name="section0048"><h2>48. Mirage/Bloodhound</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Bloodhound/Mirage, nblm fluff, embarrassment</p><p>miragehound, prompt: marriage</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Let me see the rings!"</p><p>Elliot eagerly held out his hand for his friends to see the new ring that rested on his ring finger, beaming with pride at the sight. It was really just a sturdy metal ring, given his current lifestyle, anything 'nice' would have easily been damaged and his heart would have been crushed at the thought of his wedding ring being damaged. But the simple fact that it was his wedding ring (given to him on the tip of a sword because Vikings were just that damn cool) and it was a wedding ring meaning that he was married to the love of his life. It was currently his pride and joy and he was going to take every opportunity to show it off.</p><p>Bloodhound, because they wore gloves and actually kind of had too because of the scarred skin on their fingertips and how prone the skin was to drying out, wore theirs on a chain underneath their armor to keep it with them. They tugged the chain out to show off the ring hanging from it, Elliot knowing by heart that it was warmed from their body because they held it close because they also found a great deal of pride in it and what it meant.</p><p>"How was the honeymoon you two? Eh, no details," Gibraltar asked.</p><p>"You can do a lot on a hu-ha--honeymoon, Gibs," Elliot pointed out. "Mostly we just b-ba--- enjoyed being newly weds!"</p><p>"Also I took him home to the family," Bloodhound chuckled, reaching over to gently cup his face as he blushed happily. "We drank, sang, Elliot fought and won some and lost others, it was glorious."</p><p>"El fought?" Ajay laughed.</p><p>They were set to do a game, Elliot and Bloodhound's first since they got back from their wedding and honeymoon time off. And everyone thought it would be the same old, same old with maybe a little fanfare about two returning fan favorites. However, before they got onto the ship, a few suits beckoned them over to a small crowd of reporters. People were excited to see them back after an extended time off and wanted to know more. And not wanting people to be nosey about their time off, Elliot tried to cooly reflect every prying question, using all of his charms to deflect the nosey reporters.</p><p>"Well, you two are back," One reporter said when it was clear that the two were being tight lipped. "Anything to say to fans waiting to see you two in action again."</p><p>"Yes," Bloodhound said, before reaching over and grabbing the hand that Elliot had his ring on and lifting it to the cameras. "I liked him. So I put a ring on him."</p><p>Elliot turned red and started giggling embarrassedly as Bloodhound nonchalantly, holding Elliot's hand in theirs, and walked them to the ship.</p><p>"Baby, what's with this we-wei-- weird goal to make me blush?" Elliot laughed.</p><p>"It's not a goal, just a happy coincidence," Bloodhound hummed casually. "Also, I told you I would tell the worlds that I loved you. And I have, just... literally."</p><p>"You're a riot, baby," Elliot grinned.</p><p>"And now you are bound to me for as long as you'll have me," Bloodhound chuckled back.</p><p>"That's gonna be a long time, baby," Elliot grinned, taking up their hand and giving a little peck to the back of the leather covered skin.</p><p>"I am glad, maður."</p>
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<a name="section0049"><h2>49. Bloodhound/Mirage</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Bloodhound/Mirage, nblm fluff</p><p>idk i wanted to do little drabbles of all the otps kissing and then couldn't stop with this one</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They kissed him softly, gloved hand curling softly and holding the back of his neck as they pulled him into them, encouraging him to lean into them. His beard rubbed against the sparser hairs of their beard, rubbing pleasantly against one another as Elliot's soft lips pressed against their own, sighing softly through his nose as he melted against them. His own hands remained lax at his side for a moment, before lifting and gently threading into their down hair and holding their head gently.</p><p>This close they could smell the cologne on him, thankfully much more subtle than the ones he used to wear. Something warm and slightly tinge with spice, something that made them want to bury their nose in his neck and inhale deep, knowing that he would go lax and sigh long and content. Elliot was always so adorably but also heartbreakingly touch starved, and he happily soaked up any gentle contact they gave him in a happy stupor. They indulged him frequently, or at least when they could.</p><p>Elliot slotted their heads just right, deepening the kiss while still keeping it chaste and sweet, eagerly soaking up all the skin to skin contact that he could. They indulged him, sliding the hand still cupping the back of his neck to tenderly holding one side of his head, the other hand moved to cup the other side, lovingly holding his head as they kept kissing. He melted against their front more and eagerly too, the heat of his body sinking into theirs, even with all their gear in the way.</p><p>As great as the kiss was, as amazing as it was, as much as Bloodhound wanted it to never end... their lungs were damaged and they could not hold their breath for long. When they pulled away, Elliot let them go, lingering on their lips, but knowing why they would pull away, smiling softly at them when they pulled away enough to see the soft upturning of those lovely lips. They took a long breath in and out, testing the scar tissue to see if they needed to put back on their mask. When their lungs remained their usual, just slightly scratchy state, they smiled at their love. They smiled at the soft pink to his cheeks and the soft, syrupy warmth of his eyes and the slight darkening of his lips from the kiss.</p><p>When they leaned in again, he leaned in to meet them, lips meeting theirs with soft passion, hands sliding from their hair to cup their jaw, calloused thumbs rubbing delightfully against the scarred skin, pulling just slightly but not enough to harm the delicate skin. All the while his lips stole their breath and their thoughts, until they were muddled with warmth and love. They kissed their love with all the love and warmth in their heart that they had for this man, the love of their life.</p><p>They did have to part a second time and they could feel the simmering pin pricks of pain in their lungs. A tell tale sign that they were pressing their luck with their lungs and they needed to take a breather. When they parted again, Elliot's cheeks were a dashing and handsome red color and they both were breathing warm and heavy, barely a few centimeters apart. They both smiled giddily at one another, Bloodhound leaning in to press their foreheads together as they both basked in the warmth.</p>
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<a name="section0050"><h2>50. Miragehound- nblm fluff</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Bloodhound/Mirage, nblm fluff</p><p>Bloodhound has started wearing lipstick, Elliot really really really likes it</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Hey baby-- Oh."</p><p>"Hmm?" Bloodhound asked, looking away from the mirror for a moment to address Elliot as he kicked the door shut behind him. He was looking at them in that fond, admiring way that he always seemed to do. But those lovely eyes of his were moved down slightly and it took only a moment for them to realize what he was looking at. "Oh. I am trying something new. Do you like?"</p><p>"Yeah baby, never thought seeing you in black lipstick was hot but uh... wow," Elliot said as he walked over to them to see the black of their lips. Against the dark hair of their beard and the dark of their eyes and the dark fans of their eyelashes and the dark hair that had hanging loose they looked elegant and striking and just so... wow.</p><p>"I trust I look good then?" Bloodhound smirked.</p><p>"You always look fa-f-- amazing baby," Elliot grinned, leaning down to give them a kiss.</p><p>The black lipstick smeared a little on his lower lip, he realized later, blushing a little as he sheepishly rubbed it away.</p><p>And then, of course, he wanted to get more smeared on.</p><p>So one day after a long game, most everyone milling about the ship waiting for it to take off, Elliot beckoned Bloodhound around the other side of the ship that no one was on. After making sure that no one was around, Elliot grinned as Bloodhound pressed him into the metal of the ship, watching as Bloodhound undid their respirator. Despite the length of the game, their lipstick was neat and instact, curved up into a soft and warm smile, before leaning in to kiss him.</p><p>They kissed softly and sweet for a moment, Elliot feeling the lipstick smear against his lips just slightly. And then when they leaned forward a little, Elliot leaned into it too, wrapping his arms around their neck and pulling them in, encouraging them to deepen it. They kissed deeper and more passionately for another moment, Bloodhound groaning happily and Elliot sighing between meetings of the lips. Kissing until they were breathless and then pulling away to catch their respective breaths, smiling happily at one another, pressed flush against one another.</p><p>"Hmm."</p><p>"Huh?"</p><p>"Black lipstick looks good on you too, elskan," Bloodhound hummed happily.</p><p>"Oh yeah?"</p><p>Bloodhound took his phone out of his pocket and snapped a pic of him before showing him. Pupils blown wide, cheeks flushed and his lips smeared in black lipstick. And what do you know, he did look good with black lipstick. He just grinned sheepishly, leaning in to kiss them again before they reluctantly parted so that Bloodhound could redo their respirator up and Elliot could ponder how to clean up his face.</p><p>"Hey, ship's gonna take off, you two--" Octane said, peering around the corner.</p><p>And seeing Bloodhound and him still standing tellingly close and Elliot with black lipstick smeared on his lips.</p><p>"... Nice."</p><p>"We're coming, jerk," Elliot laughed, Octane ducking away with a giggle. "Let me get cleaned up..."</p><p>"Do you want to, though?" Bloodhound asked with a teasing purr.</p><p>"... Nah, you're right, I'll wear this proud," Elliot grinned, though blushing a little.</p><p>"Hmm... you are so handsome when you blush."</p><p>Elliot just grinned and blushed harder as they took his hand and they wet to get on the ship to go home.</p>
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<a name="section0051"><h2>51. No Pairings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Tense speaking, no pairings</p><p>An idea for a new Apex oc hit me, so have Charlie and Lewis.</p><p>-Charlie is about forty five years old<br/>-Charlie switches up pronouns when speaking about Lewis because 'They ain't never told me and they ain't ever correct me'<br/>-Lewis is a Simulacrum, outfitted into a body that can change between a humanoid and a canine mode meant for extremely fast infiltration and assassin missions. However, their brainwashing program malfunctioned during their outfitting and they tried escaping, getting shot several times before getting away and crawling to a dump<br/>-Charlie is a retired soldier turned junkyard mechanic, that heard a strange 'robotic crying' sound from a dump on his way home, when he went to investigate, he found Lewis, took them home and fixed them<br/>-The two have been traveling since. Charlie joined the games with Lewis in tow because he wants to make money to help out his daughter with college and thinks a combo of his former training and Lewis at his side will help him survive long enough to do it<br/>-Charlie doesn't know that Lewis is a Sim, but he knows that they aren't just a bot either</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Tell your dog to move."</p><p>"Tell him yourself, he's not fuckin' deaf, partner," Charlie snapped right back at Caustic, barely giving the man a look from underneath the rim of his hat.</p><p>Caustic grunted, before turning his gaze to the robotic dog with the disturbingly human eyes that was staring right back at him from the seat. And currently the only one available given that the plane that they were on were smaller than the usual ones, small enough for one seat per Legend fighting 'small'. However, the newest one, some man with a rustic Southern drawl and a robot dog, had joined and current his dog was taking up a seat. And staring at him with those disturbing eyes that was making the back of his neck itch.</p><p>"Move," Caustic snapped at the dog.</p><p>The dog stared back. In the low light of the plane, its matte black plating almost made it look like a shadow manifested into physical form.</p><p>"How about a 'please' Doc?" Mirage said from across the seat aisle, giving Caustic a hard look right back when he turned to glare at the trickster. It had been a rough game, tempers were high and nerves were on edge. No one was going to wilt underneath their fear of him, they were more likely to snap, and he was not looking for a fight, especially when the hunter and the doctor on either side of him tensed and glared back at him as a means of backing the trickster up.</p><p>"<i>Please</i> move," Caustic tried again.</p><p>The dog stared at him for a moment... before relenting, stepping off the seat to step between his master leg's and finally allowing Caustic to sit down. Even if it was next to the new guy.</p><p>"She probably would have also moved if you called her Lewis instead of 'your dog'," Charlie said. "She ain't stupid."</p><p>"Clearly," Caustic grunted.</p><p>Charlie balked for a moment, before snorting and chuckling softly, patting his dog's head as it stared absently at the floor. Robotic canine or not, there was just something off about that animal and he was actually not keen on finding out. Nor keen on finding out why the creature's master was so unperturbed by it.</p><p>"So, Charlie and Lewis, right?" Bangalore spoke up as the plane went through its start up procedures. "Didn't get a chance to do meet and greet beforehand. I'm Anita Bangalore."</p><p>"Howdy ma'am," Charlie grinned, bobbing his head politely, "Charlie Smith."</p><p>"What a handsome creature, aren't you?" Wattson said from her seat on the other side of Charlie. "Can I pet him?"</p><p>"If he'll let you, darlin'," Charlie beamed back.</p><p>Lewis did let her, keeping its head bowed as Wattson gently pet its metallic head and its immobile pointed ears.</p><p>"Hunting with a dog is a ancient tradition amongst hunters," Bloodhound said, goggles turned towards the strange creature. "They make excellent companions and even better hunting partners. Where did you find your little hunter?"</p><p>"Dump with bullet holes all through her. Took her home, fixed her up and she's stuck by me ever since. Not sure where else she came from before that though," Charlie shrugged. "Hell, Lewis ain't even her name, just called her that one day and been using it since."</p><p>"Stupid question... she do tricks or is she only a dog in name?" Mirage asked.</p><p>"Only one," Charlie said before nudging his dog forward into the aisle. "Lewis, stand!"</p><p>Instead of 'standing' like a dog, instead something hissed along the dog's sides. And then everyone watched in awe, horror, amazement and other varied emotions as the mechanical body opened up and started shifting around, opening up and changing and then finally standing to full height to reveal a humanoid form that was exceptionally thin and made of the same matte black paneling that had made up the dog's body. Finally the muzzle like structure of its face shifted down and suddenly the disturbingly human eyes made a lot of sense.</p><p>"Good boy!" Charlie grinned.</p><p>While everyone stared, the plane tilted. And everyone in seatbelts felt the pull of it... Lewis who was standing especially so, since its dog like feet seemed to have no traction on metal and the poor creature slid down the aisle with the tilting.</p><p>"My baby boy!" Charlie yelped.</p><p>When the plane tilted back the other way as a means of course correct and Lewis, who seemed rather nonchalant and seemed to be avoiding moving to make it worse, slide back, Charlie grabbed it by its thin waist. No longer worried about sliding, Lewis shifted back to a canine form and shuffled back between the safety of Charlie's legs. </p><p>"YES! HE'S FUCKING WEIRD!" Octane yelled from his seat.</p><p>"Oh lord," Lifeline grumbled.</p><p>"I... was petting that like a dog..." Wattson muttered.</p><p>"...Fascinating," Caustic hummed, deciding to change his opinion on this weird duo as Charlie just pet Lewis' sides like nothing was wrong.</p>
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<a name="section0052"><h2>52. Revenant/Pathfinder</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Revenant/Pathfinder, mlm fluff, background Gibraltar/Crypto, Mirage/Bloodhound, Loba/Bangalore, mild language</p><p>It's raining today</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"It's fucking raining..."</p><p>Revenant stared up at the dark sky above. If he could glare, he would have, instead he tried to stare holes into the sky and tried to convey his hatred of rain to it. Probably did not do much, one of the many things he hated about his new face was that it could not express his contempt towards anything. Like the rain falling outside from the dark clouds above and would soak him in seconds if he stepped out into that. And even if he was cold, unfeeling metal, it was still not pleasant to get soaked and having to air himself out to prevent rusting to the few rusty prone elements on his body.</p><p>This sucked...</p><p>"Hello friends!" Pathfinder called out behind him.</p><p>He turned to look and... what the hell was Pathfinder wearing? It looked like a yellow raincoat as he walked came from where everyone cleaned off after a game. Huh, so the cute little bot could get soaked through too, huh? Revenant did not get to ponder it long, as Pathfinder turned his head towards him and bounced once on his feet before trotting over.</p><p>"Hello friend Revenant!" Pathfinder chimed, bouncing up to Revenant. And yes, now that he was close, Revenant could see in fact that Pathfinder was wearing a bright yellow rain poncho with the hood pulled up over his head and he was holding an collapsed umbrella in one hand. Damn... why the hell was this bot so damned cute all the damned time? Hardly fucking fair.</p><p>"Pathy," Revenant drawled out, looking him over to commit the sight to memory before he looked up at the grey sky overhead. Right, still raining, still had to figure out a way to get to his hiding spot without getting soaked. Pathfinder stepped up to stand beside him and also looked up at the sky.</p><p>"It will not stop raining in approximately three hours and forty five minutes," Pathfinder reported.</p><p>"Shit," Revenant sighed.</p><p>The big guy walked up next to them and paused, rustling around in his big rain coat for a moment.</p><p>"Hello friend Gibraltar!" Pathfinder chimed.</p><p>"Hey Path!" Gibraltar grinned at him. "You good to go through the rain?"</p><p>"Yes! I have a rain coat and an umbrella and I got my water-proofing redone last month!" Pathfinder chimed, giving Gibraltar a thumbs up. "Are you ready to go through the rain, friend?"</p><p>"Yep, we're good to go!"</p><p>"We?"</p><p>The raincoat opened and that hacker poked his head out for a moment, waving a little at Pathfinder.</p><p>"Hello friend Crypto!"</p><p>"Hi, Pathfinder."</p><p>"You be safe, Path!" Gibraltar grinned as Crypto ducked back in within the shelter of his rain coat and the two started carefully making their way through the rain.</p><p>"Everyone's ready for the fucking rain," Revenant grumbled. Not his fault that he did not care to look at the weather stations. Nothing really mattered when he could jump bodies and technically live forever. Still was shit and he really did not want to go out into the rain if he could help it.</p><p>"Get home safe, Pathy!" Lifeline called as she passed, wearing a rain coat while holding an umbrella over Doc.</p><p>"I will, friend Lifeline!" Pathfinder chimed.</p><p>Octane, daredevil weirdo, just dashed out into the rain with a manic cackle, getting yelled at by Lifeline as he dashed past her. Behind him, Mirage and Bloodhound ran out into the rain holding hands, laughing as they started booking it towards home. Bangalore and Loba, sharing a large umbrella just walked out and started carefully navigating around large puddles and were followed by Wraith, Wattson and Horizon doing the same thing.</p><p>Everyone was ready for the fucking rain.</p><p>"Are you going home, friend Revenant?" Pathfinder asked.</p><p>"Yeah... just don't want to get soaked..." Revenant grumbled, vocalizer buzzing around the edges in protest of the noise it was being force to make.</p><p>"It's okay, we can share my umbrella!" Pathfinder said, readily undoing said umbrella and holding it above the two of them. It was a really nice umbrella, actually, nice and big and looked sturdy. Revenant looked from it to Pathfinder. And this cute bot was willing to share it, because this weird bot liked him.</p><p>"Bad luck to open an umbrella in a building," Revenant noted.</p><p>"It's okay, I'm with you!" Pathfinder beamed, a slight yellow light coming from underneath his rain coat.</p><p>This bot was too fucking cute, how the hell was Revenant supposed to say no to that?</p><p>"... Sure," Revenant said, vocalizer making a sighing like sound as Pathfinder bounced on his feet in excitement, waiting for Revenant to step up to his side before proceeding out into the rain that awaited them.</p><p>The rain thudded against the umbrella above them as they walked. Revenant was suddenly very glad that Pathfinder offered to share his umbrella with him. And sure, it still splashed around his legs in the many forming puddles around them, but it at least kept the rain out of the most important stuff in his head and chest area. Still, he looked forward to air himself out when he got to his dingy little hideout that he used between games... unless...</p><p>"Where are you going after this, baby?" Revenant asked.</p><p>"I need to make sure that my greenhouse is doing well," Pathfinder happily chimed out. And then after a pause, Pathfinder turned his head towards him. "Would you like to come? You can see the cacti that I planted!"</p><p>"Sure, sweetheart," Revenant hummed. Hanging out by his lonesome in his dingy little place was fine and all, but hanging out with Pathfinder was bound to be better. His greenhouse would also be notably warmer, if more humid. But for Pathfinder's company, he would 'endure it'. At least the heat would still dry him out a bit.</p><p>As they walked, it seemed that most everyone had rushed indoors to get away from the sudden downpour. Just fine by him, less people to get frightened by him or try and stop Pathfinder for a signature. Despite his coworkers egging him about his positive attitude, Pathfinder was rather popular with fans. Probably because he was far more approachable than people like him, Bloodhound, Caustic or Wraith. Pathfinder deserved the attention anyway, even if people gave him shit, he was a good fighter and could be downright lethal in a gunfight. The clash of cheerful attitude and cold precision murder always tickled Revenant's programming core.</p><p>"Oh look!" Pathfinder said, stopping them and pointing at something in the rain.</p><p>A few birds were out and playing in the puddles, probably bathing as well, splashing around before fluttering their wings to get rid of the water, hopping into a nearby doorway to get out of the rain for a moment, before going back at it again. Huh... cute.</p><p>They watched for a moment before the door opened and the skinsuit accidently surprised the birds, sending them flying a short distance away to seek new cover. And without the birds playing around in the rain, they kept moving forward. But now that they had seen them, Pathfinder's pace slowed ever so slightly, probably hoping to see something similar. And as the rain came down just as heavy around them and thudded hard against the umbrella above them, Revenant looked to the hand of Pathfinder's holding the umbrella, stem between them. Grunting, Revenant reached over and took hold of Pathfinder's elbow strut. And bless his cute little soul, Pathfinder said nothing, but the pink light coming from his screen pretty much made it through his raincoat through intensity alone.</p><p>They saw few people outside, mostly running towards cover, most none too bothered by the heavy rain with a few grumbling about it. They saw a few animals out, playing in puddles and near gutter drains. Pathfinder liked to watch the birds hop around puddles and such, and cooing up at animals sitting within little shelters that seemed to be enjoying the coolness and low, drumming sound of the rain. It was so strangely... peaceful. Maybe because of how loud and low key anxiety inducing the games were, but just the two of them walking home with the sound of rain hitting Pathfinder's umbrella and the street and buildings around them was... wonderful. Nice even. </p><p>But eventually they did make it to Pathfinder's green house, thankfully on the top level of a low level building so it had little worry of flooding. They ducked inside and were free of the rain, through it hammer on the roof above them as Pathfinder happily went to hang his collapsed umbrella and soaked raincoat up to drip dry. Revenant shook the water from his legs by the door before following Pathfinder further in.</p><p>"Thanks."</p><p>"You're welcome, Rev!" Pathfinder chimed happily as he hung his cute raincoat up, turning to show Revenant a brilliant smiling emoji. "Thank you for walking with me."</p><p>"Can't help myself when you're being extra cute, baby," Revenant chuckled low and rumbly, picking a nice spot to sit and stretch out his legs to dry out as Pathfinder went about checking up on his plants.</p><p>Revenant hoped they got another rainy day soon.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0053"><h2>53. Fuse/Caustic</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: budding Fuse/Caustic, mentions of canon typical violence and background throw away character death, mild language</p><p>I just thought it would be fun to write and you know what... I was mfuckin' right mate</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Caustic was glad that his breathing mask came with goggles, as he felt the blow back of yet, another, of Fuse's explosives go off. The hot air hit his face and his armor was peppered with bits of rock that had been knocked back with the blow back. Nothing serious of course, everything bounced off lightly, because as much destruction that Fuse rained down on the battlefield, the man was well enough into his age to know how to expertly plan said destruction. Destruction was his skill, honed through the years until it was second hand art. And honestly, almost admerable compared to the wanton destruction that the others caused.</p><p>Fuse hollared with excitement as the group watched the dust settle, Octane making up the third part and not looking very thrilled about the destruction. Then again, Octane had made it rather clear that he did not enjoy fighting with this particular party, because his gas traps made it impossible to see through to make a clean dash through, and Fuse's explosives were a rather potent hazard to also go running through, even for the likes of the adrenaline junkie. Said daredevil just sighed as the dust began to settle, lifting up his gun and he and Caustic stepped forward to join the man as they went forward.</p><p>"Come on you two, lighten up!" Fuse called, walking backwards to address them. "You act like we're goin' to a bloody funeral or somethin'... I mean I guess we're starting ones but... come on!"</p><p>"How can you be so chipper about it, amigo?" Octane countered.</p><p>"Because little ol' me has been doin' death matches for years, mates. Course, when I was doing them in the pit, it was usually me on me lonesome and four other drongos. But eh, no drama for ol' Fuse now. These games are a gnarly time already. Come on, let's go!"</p><p>Octane sighed and it was rather refreshing to have his enthusiasm stifled for once, so Caustic lifted up his own gun and started after Fuse, letting him take point so that they could work around his explosives. Eventually they settled on a gameplay plan of letting Fuse picking out a detonation spot, then himself setting up his gas traps around the edges of it, and then Octane would run around that to shoot any survivors of the first two. It seemed to work and it brightened Octane's mood some. Between the three of them, they actually managed to make it rather far into the game, before a squad with sniper rifles took them out and they ended up back on the ship. For the first game with the new guy, it was a rather good match and one that no one seemed too bothered about.</p><p>At the very least, Caustic was glad for the end of a match as always. His damaged lungs were begging for his sterilized room and to clean out his respirator and his old limbs were begging for him to sit down. As he stepped into the ship as it started loading up tired Legends, Fuse came up behind him and slapped him rather friendly on the shoulder. Which was... perhaps less forward than when Fuse slapped him on the ass but still...</p><p>"Good on ya today, mate," Fuse beamed.</p><p>"Yes. Good for your first game as well, Fuse," Caustic said, bobbing his head at the man.</p><p>"We should get get stubbies later, mate? Get a real piss up with some of the others."</p><p>"Perhaps another time," Caustic said.</p><p>"Ah, no worries, mate. We can pash another time."</p><p>Caustic squinted. What the fuck did 'pash' mean...</p><p>Lifeline walked by him.</p><p>"Doctor, if I may have a moment of your time and your linguistic skills?"</p><p>"Only because you used 'doctor'," Lifeline sighed, sounding and looking tired. "How can I help ya?"</p><p>"Fuse used 'Pash', what does that mean?"</p><p>"Lock lips, doc. Didn't think that ass slap was flirtin' but now it certainly seems it."</p><p>Caustic actually felt his face heat up behind his gear. The Australian was... flirting with him...</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Drongos: A fool(s)<br/>Stubbies: Bottles of beer<br/>Piss up: Party with friends<br/>Pash: Kiss</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0054"><h2>54. Fuse/Caustic</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Budding Fuse/Caustic, fluff, mentions of Caustic's medical issues</p><p>idk idk idk idk</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"And there we... hold on... I got it.... there!" Fuse beamed as he stepped away from the modified gas trap as Caustic looked it over. "Now, it's not an explosive, but when it goes off, should have a lot more bang for your buck, mate."</p><p>"Very well, let us see," Caustic rumbled, walking with Fuse to outside the room, sealing it behind them.</p><p>They were in his lab and that was strange in of itself, because he never invited anyone into his laboratory. Because it was personal and private and he used it to continue his work unimpeded. He did not trust a single soul with the information and yet... here Fuse was, because Fuse had shown him several sketches of a new release mechanism for his gas traps and it had... fascinated him. Fascinated him that it was not an explosive like the man was known for, but something that cause the spread to be wider and quicker much like one and fascinated him on a technical level the amount of detail that went into it. Fascinated him enough to... invite him over to build and try it...</p><p>He merely shrugged off the thoughts that it was anymore. It was simply easier to invite him over to where he kept the base ingredients for his gas traps. It was just... easier. Not to mention, he carefully omitted the information that this laboratory was a secret and Fuse had not even bothered to ask, just making an idle comment about how 'nice' the place looked. It had honestly seemed more like social reflex than anything, though the man did look around as though fascinated.</p><p>On to the test. Once the room was sealed, Fuse held out the new detonator and watched attentively as Caustic fiddled with it for a moment before holding it firm and then pressing the button. The usual soft sound of the gas traps going off was replaced with a hearty, muffled boom and a thump as the blowback hit the glass of the observation room. Thankfully besides that, there was no damage and indeed, the whole room was now packed full of the toxin instead of a seeping out into a cloud that it was before. Caustic placed the detonator down as he picked up his notepad and pencil and began to scratch notes down quickly. This was marvelous!</p><p>"See? Pretty gnarly, aren't I?" Fuse grinned.</p><p>"Yes, quite. I shall have to speak with you about using this design going forward. Simplification for mass production, safety tests," Caustic hummed as he quickly short-hand some notes down.</p><p>Fuse nodded, looking as Caustic fiddled with the controls and the sprayer system in the room flicked on and started spraying the counter agents to start neutralizing the gas to be vented. He needed to see if there actual damage to the trap, though based on how well the test went it was very likely not.</p><p>"So... I have a uh... question."</p><p>"Yes?"</p><p>"Your uh, mask thingy, mate... you gotta wear that everywhere or somethin'?" Fuse asked, glancing over at him.</p><p>"Yes. My lungs have been ravaged by my own toxins, I'm afraid. I need this respirator to breathe properly," Caustic hummed.</p><p>"Ah... just wonderin' what you look like underneath it is all."</p><p>Caustic glanced over, looking at Fuse as he looked at the gas slowly break apart in the other room. Innocent enough question, innocent curiosity. And... perhaps he was in a very good mood about the test going over so well. And he figured that there was no way that Fuse, who had been apparently in fighting pits and pulling off various crimes, would know who 'Alexander Nox' was or even care what he did so... Taking a deep breath in, Caustic let the soothing air fill his lungs, before fiddling with his respirator and then tugging it off. Fuse thankfully caught the movement, since Caustic was on his good side, looking over and just looking at his face. He offered the man a moment before having to put his respirator back on, his ability to hold his breath rather limited with the damage to his lungs.</p><p>"Well... ain't you a good lookin' man?"</p><p>Caustic snorted.</p><p>"You are very... forward."</p><p>"You against it?"</p><p>"Hmm," Caustic felt a small smile tug on his mouth. "For now? No."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0055"><h2>55. Miragehound, fluff, animal characteristics au</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Mirage/Bloodhound, fluff, mild language and mentioned canon typical violence, animal characteristics au</p><p>The 31 days of Apex server mentioned cat boy Fuse and I went feral</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Let's go!"</p><p>Fuse barely made it a few steps before Bloodhound grabbed his tail and yanked, causing him to yowl in pain for a second before stepping back to get the painful grip off his tail, turning with his ears folded down to pout at the hunter. Their own ears, poking out through special slits in their helmet, were flattened back against their helmeted head in anger.</p><p>"If I must be on a team with you, you will at least look before you charge into danger, I am no reviving you again," Bloodhound snarled out.</p><p>"Fine, fine, fuck, let go of my tail!"</p><p>Bloodhound relinquished it, growling low in warning again before moving ahead while cocking their gun. Fuse huffed at their back, before his ears picked up and he grinned mischievously at the hunter's back.</p><p>"Aw, poor wolfie misses their big cat beau?"</p><p>Bloodhound huffed and Fuse just cackled. For the rather 'mysterious' aura and reputation that they had, Fuse found them pretty easy to figure out enough.</p><p>"Stop flirting you two, let's go!" Loba sighed as she finished snatching up ammo from the boxes that they had been raiding. She easily walked past Fuse and then just as she was about to pass Bloodhound, she made sure to give them a firm and friendly hip check that had them stuttering and sputtering at her. The black-widow just smiled wide enough to show off her fangs before sashaying away, leaving Bloodhound and Fuse to catch up with her. </p><p>There was something in the air that game. Their victory was an uphill battle against incredible odds and by the time they had gunned down the last team, they were incredibly tired and spent and the walk back to the ship felt kilometers longer than it should have been. Finally getting on the ship felt like a victory in of itself, Fuse blindly trudging after Bloodhound as they seemingly sought out Mirage by scent alone, finding him towards the back of the plane and looking about as exhausted as them. He did perk up when Bloodhound sat heavily down by his side and Fuse sat down on their other side just as heavily.</p><p>"Hey baby! How's victory taste?" Mirage asked, ears perked up and his tail audioably hitting the back of his seat as it flicked excitedly. Even the jagur spots on his face seemed to light up with his improved mood.</p><p>"Ugh," Bloodhound grunted, leaning over to lean against him.</p><p>"Like Caustic's fuckin' gas traps," Fuse filled in, before turning to address the man himself as he sat down on Fuse's free side, taking a moment to tuck his large black and white tail through the allotted hole in the seat. "Seriously, why the fuck does your gas traps leave such a rank taste in the mouth, mate?"</p><p>"It's the toxins within. Our advanced taste buds can pick them up and hold onto them for hours," Caustic grumbled.</p><p>"Says the fuckin' skunk," Fuse muttered, grinning when Caustic turned to give him a 'really?' glare.</p><p>"Tabasco sauce, whiskey, lemon and chocolate liqueur," Mirage rattled off. "Tastes awful, but it'll wash the taste out of your mouth."</p><p>"You buyin' drinks?" Fuse perked up.</p><p>"Only the first one and only because you're new," Mirage quickly pointed out. "But yeah, come by the Paradise Lounge a bit after we touch down."</p><p>"My kind of newbie greetin'!" Fuse grinned.</p><p>"I suppose that you did do well and deserve a reward," Bloodhound muttered, chuckling themself when Fuse pouted playfully. "Welcome to the Apex games, cat."</p><p>"Very funny, wolfie," Fuse said, but through a good-natured chuckle.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>In case you need them</p><p>Bloodhound: Wolf/Scandinavian Grey Wolf<br/>Fuse: Cat/Tiger Quoll<br/>Loba: Spider/Black Widow<br/>Caustic: Skunk<br/>Mirage: Jaguar</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0056"><h2>56. Revenant/Pathfinder</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Revenant/Pathfinder, fluff, body paint/tattoos(?)</p><p>Revenant paints Pathfinder in flowers</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Red roses, purple lilies and pink carnations.</p><p>"Hey Pathy, who painted you in a bunch of flowers?" Mirage asked, gently reaching out and touching one. He could feel the rises and strokes of the brush along Pathfinder's metal body. Real paint, not digitally scanned on like some people with cybernetic limbs, simulacrum bodies or free willed MARVN units got. Someone took the time to paint red roses, purple lilies and pink carnations onto Pathfinder and done a pretty damn fine job of it.</p><p>"It's a secret!" Pathfinder beamed.</p><p>"Okay, keep your secrets. I guess tell whoever that they're a p-pretty good artist," Mirage hummed. "Also you're extra cute right now."</p><p>Pathfinder's screen lit up with a smiling emote.</p><p>However, where Mirage would let it drop, Revenant would not, waiting until Mirage had left before ambling up to Pathfinder to look him over, memorizing the appearance of Pathfinder painted in beautiful flowers. He looked so colorful and cheerful, bright and full of life. He looked good in flowers. Maybe that was why he was grew them in his spare time...</p><p>"You didn't tell him that I did that, did you?" Revenant asked.</p><p>"Nope! Because you asked me not too," Pathfinder said, screen flashing to a heart eyed smiling emoji for a moment as he bounced on his feet. "I don't know why, but I respect your request."</p><p>"Not a hobby I want to put on blast just yet," Revenant hummed, eyeing his work quite happily. "Pretty boy was right though, you are extra cute right now, Pathy baby."</p><p>"I am glad! Because you made me extra cute, Rev," Pathfinder chimed happily.</p><p>"I'm thinking next I'll do daises and sunflowers. You wear yellow well, Pathy," Revenant hummed. He could already see the yellow petals blooming across Pathfinder's blue shell. It would fit the summer blue well, and the bright yellow would fit his cheery attitude. Maybe another flower, something white to balance it all out. Pathfinder could pull off white tulips well, actually, maybe some pink ones would fit the bright and colorful scheme that Revenant had in his processors.</p><p>"I look forward to it, Rev," Pathfinder said, screen flashing a falling curtain of hearts. Damn, this bot was just too damned cute.</p><p>Revenant looked forward to making him extra cute from now on.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0057"><h2>57. Fuse/Caustic</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Budding Fuse/Caustic, food, mild language</p><p>Some more on the ship because why the hell not</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Coffee!" Fuse hollered, walking in with several trays of drinks precariously perched on top of one another and immediately getting several people to jump up to help him. He did not seem too bothered, letting people help him carry the trays to the table of the waiting room that they were all stuck in for the time being. He also deposited the bags he was carrying with him too.</p><p>There had been a rather nasty storm that swept over the area that they were going to use the night prior. The game leaders had rushed in to see the damage done and had thought that they could get the arena quickly cleaned up and have the game on time. No such luck and the Legends had not been informed fast enough and now several buildings nearby the launch ship's port were being rented out to house the Legends until they could hurriedly clean up the debris and general mess. </p><p>"Black, two sugars," Fuse said, taking the cup and handing it off to Lifeline, before digging into the bag. "And one elephant ear."</p><p>"Thank ya," Lifeline yawned, taking her treats and going back to her seat.</p><p>"Black, three creams and a bear claw," Fuse said, handing those off to Horizon, who blearily wobbled over and thanked him before going back to her seat.</p><p>"Black tea, lemon and sugar annnddd they didn't have blueberry tarts but they did have strawberry, shiela," Fuse said, handing those off to a thankful Wraith.</p><p>"Hot chocolate and a plain donut," Fuse said, handing those off to an eager Wattson.</p><p>He kept rattling off drinks and treat orders to the sleepy Legends. All the way through the list (minus Pathfinder and Revenant, but those two were talking about lilies in the corner of the room, so the team left the two be for the moment), until it was just his own and Caustic's. Those he took to the corner that Caustic was seated in, scribbling away with a pen on a tablet. He looked up once when Fuse sat down with him, sitting their drinks and treats on the small side table between their seats.</p><p>"And one cooled to room temperature white coffee with caramel, along with one custard tart," Fuse grinned, nudging them closer to Caustic.</p><p>"... My thanks," Caustic said, putting his datapad aside for the moment.</p><p>Given that everyone was too tired to care or too busy with their own breakfasts, Caustic was free to take swallows and bites between puffs from his mask, while Fuse drank his own.</p><p>"... You're not going to say anything?"</p><p>"About your drink choice? 'ssumed it was because of your fucked throat, Alex. You probably can't have anythin' too hot or cold or acidic or it'll upset your throat, right?" Fuse offered.</p><p>"Yes... I am glad to not have to explain my diet choices regarding my physical health for once," Caustic said, turning to his data pad for a moment.</p><p>"What can I say? I'll go the whole 'nine yards' for you, Alex," Fuse beamed.</p><p>"You certainly will. Your persistence is... admirable."</p><p>"Holy fuck, was that a compliment?" Fuse said, perking up quite a bit.</p><p>"Yes. Now take it and do not ruin the moment."</p><p>Fuse beamed and Caustic smiled, just a little, behind his respirator as he turned back to his notes.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0058"><h2>58. Mirage/Bloodhound</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Bloodhound/Mirage, nblm fluff, massages</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>An offer for a full body massage had seemed... well it had seemed like it was rather much. They had complained that they were achy after a game and their loving boyfriend had, of course, readily offered it. Honestly, they had just not stretched properly before the game and it had been an annoyingly long game at that, that had taxed them. But Elliot had still offered and they still ached tenderly, so they had accepted it regardless. They supposed it was just a stubborn pride sort of deal, they had learned to shoulder and 'grit their teeth' through minor aches and pains, willing them away with teas and rest. But if anything, Elliot was keen on 'spoiling' them in many daily matters and making them more and more open to some pampering.</p><p>It still seemed silly.</p><p>"Do you want me bare?" They asked when they had arrived at his apartment.</p><p>"Only if you w-want too, but the more skin the b-better I can do this," Elliot hummed as he went about grabbing what he needed, looking eager in such an endearing way they found themself smiling behind their gear.</p><p>Since he did not need them bare, they stripped down to their underwear, glad that he had thought to bump up the ambient temperature of the room. When they were stripped, Elliot gestured to the bed, on which they languidly laid on their stomach, aware somewhat of how massages worked. They heard Elliot moving around, before settling on the bed next to them. A slight floral smell caught their nose before they felt Elliot's fingers, slicked with what felt like lotion, press into their back. It only took a few presses before they were groaning weakly because... my, Elliot had talented hands.</p><p>Talented hands that gently, but thoroughly, worked out the kinks and stiffness of their back, working away that annoying achy tenderness and then lingering stiffness that they supposed that they had acquired through not looking after themself properly. And Elliot kept those amazing hands on their back until their back muscles felt soupy and languid and they felt pinned by just how comfortable they felt. A comfort that spread as Elliot worked his way down, briefly digging his thumbs into their hips that was pure magic, before moving down to work through the thicker muscles of their thighs and calves, making their legs as liquid feeling as their back still felt like.</p><p>"Hmm."</p><p>"Good?"</p><p>"Very," They slurred out, feeling a little embarrassed about how syrupy their voice sounded. How quickly they were undone by a simple pleasure. But only a little, and it was quickly forgotten when Elliot massaged the thick and calloused soles of their feet, whisking away the worst of the pains and aches from their body.</p><p>When he pulled his hands away, they actually groaned, needy and wanting. They tried not to huff too loudly when he chuckled, he earned that one. Especially when he came back to pay attention to their shoulders, really digging into the muscles to work out all the pain and stiffness there, and actually drawing several pleased groans from deep within their chest when he undid something. Their shoulders were always a problem area, between their gear, carrying larger guns in game and being considered 'broad' compared to their waist and hip ratio, and for Elliot to make sure to give them extra attention was divinity in of itself.</p><p>They felt like they were a water skin when Elliot gently encouraged them to roll over, smiling soft and warm as they readily sank into the bed.</p><p>"Good?"</p><p>"Very."</p><p>He worked over their front, like he had done their back. Massaging along the front of their shoulders, their arms and hands (and really flustering them when he kept kissing them as he worked), along their neck and jaw and around their ears. Along their sides, hips and the fronts of their thighs. They were truly and utterly jellified by the time he sat back, grinning at his handiwork.</p><p>"I cannot move, I am... content," Bloodhound slurred out.</p><p>"So, my evil plan to make you spend the night has worked," Elliot chuckled as he took a rag to clean the lotion off his hands.</p><p>"Hmm... wait, I can move."</p><p>Elliot yelped through a grin as they grabbed the front of his shirt and yanked him down to kiss that wonderful, handsome, smiling mouth on that wonderful, amazing face of his. Because they had a wonderful, amazing boyfriend that did spoil and pamper them rotten and they loved every second. Just like they loved every centimeter of Elliot, especially his talented hands.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0059"><h2>59. Fuse/Caustic</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Fuse/Caustic, mlm fluff, mentioned food</p><p>I'm doing Valentines day ficlets because covid screwed over my irl Valentines day plans and I need that holiday related serotonin, enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Heeeyy Alex, got ya somethin'," Fuse beamed as he came into Caustic's laboratory, carrying a bag with him. Caustic just watched as his man boldly and comfortably stuttered into his laboratory, sashaying over to his desk and bolding taking a seat on the edge of it.</p><p>"Fitzroy," Caustic scolded.</p><p>"Just a second, just a second," Fuse muttered, digging around in the bag for a moment.</p><p>"Off my table, it is not a chair," Caustic grunted out more firmly.</p><p>"Alright, alright," Fuse chuckled, hopping down, replacing his denim covered ass with the bag, still digging around in it. After a moment, he finally grabbed what he was looking for, grinning in victory before lifting it up and out of the bag and holding it out to him.</p><p>"... You... made me chocolate..." Caustic said, looking at the baggy of white hearts. "You made me a chocolate that I can eat."</p><p>"Well, yeah. It's that Valentines shit or whatever. Thought you'd probably wouldn't tolerate me draggin' you out for wining and dining like a proper gent should. But you can keep these around and eat them at your leisure," Fuse grinned as he put the bag on the table.</p><p>"... Wait, you want to take me out on a date?"</p><p>"Eh, wanted too, but pretty sure you wouldn't have agreed," Fuse shrugged casually.</p><p>"... Shame," Caustic said. "Had you asked... I would have agreed."</p><p>"... Wait, wait, no wait, I can still do this. Get that big beautiful ass up, Alex, I'm gonna wine and dine you like you've never been done so before," Fuse said, Caustic allowing himself a small smirk at Fuse being thrown off his game. And kept it as Fuse eagerly got around him, standing behind him and hooking his hands underneath his arms to try and encourage him to his feet.</p><p>"Come on come on, I know a great steak place, get you some wine, treat you all nice and shit," Fuse rambled as Caustic finally got to his feet on his own accord. "Even better, we can grab and go and I know a great moonlight spot. Just the two of us, ey Alex?"</p><p>"A tolerable idea," Caustic hummed.</p><p>"That's my man, come on now."</p>
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<a name="section0060"><h2>60. Wattson/Lifeline</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Lifeline/Wattson, wlw fluff, hospitals, mentioned blood and guns</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She really liked to be in hospitals, even if it was a bit sad.</p><p>They were quiet and clean, and it is generally very bright as well, but mostly its just quiet and clean. Two things that she enjoys very much in a world that seems so very loud and so very... plagued with blood, mud and residue from shooting a gun too many times. And sure, the hospital can be very loud, be very unclean, there is just something about the very nature of the building that rebels when this happens and its whisked away so quickly. It wants to be quite, it wants to be clean, it wants to be a relaxing place of healing, so the workers buzz around it to clean and keep things quiet.</p><p>She sat in the break room, sipping water from a Styrofoam cup. It was room temperature and she cannot resist the urge to bite into the material and feel it give underneath her teeth. The lip of the cup bore her teeth marks several times over and she has to resist the urge to start tearing pieces off, despite knowing how satisfying it would be to hear the material rip underneath her teeth and listen to it crunch. She finished the water before she could give in and rose to deposit the cup into the bin before resuming her seat.</p><p>Even here, it is quiet. The old refrigerator hummed quietly, and occasionally the vent would let out a low rumbling hum as it let out cooler air to level out the temperature of the room. The, obviously old but still sturdy, tables and chairs bear the marks of wear and tear but they are very clean. Even the counters and the microwave are clean as well. Just outside the door she could hear the quiet and muffled sounds of the people out there, the staff that worked and the people here to heal. She swore that she could almost hear the city outside as well, the passing sound of cars and horns blaring.</p><p>It was so quiet she almost jumped when the door opened and Ajay walked in.</p><p>"Sorry for keepin' ya love," She smiled, stepping over to give Wattson a peck the cheek.</p><p>"No problem, I don't mind waiting here. It is very... quiet, peaceful," Wattson hummed.</p><p>"Aye, sometimes swear I'll go deaf when I step outside after shift," Ajay agreed before offering her hand, that Wattson readily took. Ajay hands bore the marks of constantly being wash, slightly dry and slightly rough.</p><p>They stepped outside of the breakroom and walked through the hospital, until they stepped outside. And true to Ajay's words, being hit with the noise from the outside almost had Wattson's ears ringing, and she tensed. But Ajay took them off to the side to mess with her phone. She could take a moment to adjust, not become over sensitized and upset. Just focus on Ajay's hand still holding hers and thinking about how they would go home to a quiet apartment.</p><p>"All set. Want to get a bite to eat, baby?"</p><p>"Can we take it home?"</p><p>"Sure!"</p><p>"How about that sandwich place?"</p><p>"Sounds good!" Ajay grinned, leaning over to kiss her cheek again and make Wattson smile.</p>
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<a name="section0061"><h2>61. Revenant/Pathfinder</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Pathfinder/Revenant, mlm fluff</p><p>Revenant uses petnames for Pathfinder around the others and has officially stopped giving a fuck</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Over here, baby."</p><p>Lifeline looked up from her gun, looking around. Did... Revenant just say... 'baby'... not only did he say 'baby', but did he just say it in perhaps the most affectionate and gentle tone that Lifeline had ever heard out of the murder bot? Love and affection out of... Revenant... Lifeline dropped her gun to stand and look around for her teammates, Revenant and Pathfinder. Thankfully she did not have to look too hard, finding them out looking some boxes a bit away. It looked like Revenant was holding something out to Pathfinder, Pathfinder eagerly bouncing over to him to grab it.</p><p>"Thanks, friend!"</p><p>Bonding between bots or Revenant was being weird... Lifeline decided to leave well enough alone.</p><p>Another game, and Mirage was on a team with Pathfinder and Revenant. Which was... fine. He had Pathy as a buffer between him and Revenant's doom and gloom. But he still stuck to Pathfinder, just in case, as they went about trying to eliminate the other teams. And honestly he was having a great time and kind of zoning out. Honestly he was well and truly just vibing until Revenant spoke up.</p><p>"Sweetheart, here."</p><p>Mirage's head nearly did a three sixty as he turned to look at Revenant handing Pathfinder some ammo from a box. Wait did... did... Revenant... did Revenant just call Pathfinder... 'sweetheart'? Revenant... saying 'sweetheart' at all... Revenant...</p><p>Mirage watched the two go about their business like nothing was wrong.</p><p>After the game, Mirage let Pathfinder and Revenant walk ahead of him before finding his friends on the ship, sitting by Lifeline, Bloodhound and Octane as the two bots took seats away from everyone to duck down their heads to talk. When he was sure that they were not paying attention, he looked to his friends.</p><p>"Hey so uh... I think I heard Revenant call Pathy... 'sweetheart'?" Mirage started out.</p><p>"You too?" Lifeline said. "I heard him call Pathy 'baby'."</p><p>"I heard the death bot call Pathfinder 'love', one match," Bloodhound said.</p><p>"I heard him call Path 'angel' once," Octane piped up.</p><p>"Wait are those two... a thing?" Mirage asked. "I mean-- good for them! Happy for them but uh..."</p><p>The group looked to the two bots, heads down as they talked in low and quiet voices. They could still hear the slight metallic tint to them, but not make out the words. They watched the two for a moment before turning back to themselves.</p><p>"So... he uses pet names..."</p><p>"Yeah, and what about it?!" Revenant snapped from his seat and making the group start before sheepishly chuckling among themselves.</p>
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<a name="section0062"><h2>62. Bloodhound/Fuse/Mirage</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: Fuse/Mirage/Bloodhound, polyam fluff, mild language, an affectionate Australian term atypically used towards feminine people being used for both Elliot and Bloodhound</p><p>idk</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Easy over this part--"</p><p>Fuse put his foot down on the fallen log, criminally underestimated how wet exactly it was and started to slip. He flailed, looking for a foothold as he started falling backwards towards the muddied ground. Only for the person in front of him to whip around and grab one arm and the person behind him to put his hands out and catch his shoulders from behind. With two sturdies bodies, his fall halted and he grinned as he breathed out in relief as he was pushed up onto his feet again.</p><p>"You two are beaus, aintcha?" Fuse chuckled.</p><p>"I told you to watch your step, elskan," Bloodhound rumbled as they waited for him to stand up straight before letting his arm go.</p><p>"Yeah babe, y-y-ou gotta watch y-your step," Elliot said, giving his back a friendly smack before he and Fuse stepped (carefully) over the fallen log and finally joined Bloodhound on the other side.</p><p>"Can't help myself, ya seen the view, boo?" Fuse grinned, nudging Elliot before nodded forward at Bloodhound's back. Based on the blush to Elliot's cheeks, he very much agreed with the statement. "See? Hard to look where I'm putting me feet."</p><p>"I can hear you," Bloodhound said ahead of them.</p><p>"Hope you can," Fuse grinned.</p><p>They walked for a bit through the wilderness. Thankfully, despite his saying that he was distracted, there was no further slips or slides on the rain slicked ground. Though when they came across a small outcropping of rocks, Fuse took far too much joy in taking hold of Elliot and Bloodhound by their waists and lifting them up and over, much to Elliot's blushing embarrassment and Bloodhound low, rumbling chuckling amusement. But besides that they enjoyed a pleasant walk through the wilderness, enjoying the peace and quiet and just a lovely evening out with each other.</p><p>When it was time to head back, they retraced their steps and took the trail back the way they came. Eventually they did make it to the log that Fuse almost slipped because of, and, determined to best it, he boldly stepped on it to dramatically step over it. Except he once again criminally underestimated how slippery it was and proceeded to start falling a second time. This time though, Bloodhound and Elliot were walking beside him, and they both reached out and each managed to grab one of his hands and caught him. Fuse let out a stunned breath as he was held for a moment, before Bloodhound and Elliot pulled him back up onto his feet.</p><p>"Shit, second time is not the charm," Fuse breathed, making Elliot and Bloodhound chuckle. </p><p>Up on his feet, Fuse realized that he had not one but <i>two</i> of his boos hands and made the very wise decision to keep them, grinning as he switched how he was holding them to do so more comfortable before marching forward as Elliot and Bloodhound just chuckled, the two twining their fingers with Fuse's to lock their hands together. And honestly, what a better way to not bite the shit than holding the hand of you bea?</p><p>"So... next date night..."</p><p>"Do not tell me you two did not have some fun?" Bloodhound asked.</p><p>"Had plenty of fun, almost fell and died twice," Fuse joked, making the two chuckle once again. "But how's about we do somethin' at home so we can see that beautiful face, eh?"</p><p>"Also, you won't say n-no to takeout, baby," Elliot pointed out.</p><p>"... Fair and fair."</p><p>Fuse laughed, squeezing the hands of his bomb throwers and counting himself a lucky, lucky bastard.</p>
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